The Will of Tides
by Jimperbam
Summary: After nearly drowning at the beach, you wash ashore in Port Royal circa the 1700s. This is impossible in itself, but you are rescued by the one and only Elizabeth Swann. With no way of getting home, you're in for a high-seas, high-stakes adventure with the most notorious pirate of the age. (reader insert, slow burn reader/Jack)
1. Up is Down

Hello lovelies! If you're here, you either just stumbled across this or you came from Destiny Undone (my long-ass reader/Thorin Hobbit fic, thanks for the shameless plug)! Either way, I'm glad you're here! Get ready for a high-seas adventure with, like, 60% more character development than DU.

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

You inhale deeply, taking in the intoxicating smell of the ocean. The crystalline waters lap at your knees and wash over your surfboard. The high afternoon sun kisses each peak with a brilliant sparkle. On the white beach, other vacationers tan and build sandcastles and just generally enjoy themselves. It's a picturesque scene, one that could only be found in the Caribbean.

You'd won the cruise out of the sheer luck of calling into a radio station at the right time. You were happy to take the time off work when you found out the ship was stopping in the Caribbean. You'd joked to your friends before leaving that you wouldn't be back; you were going to steal a ship and become a pirate. It was a good laugh, but in all honesty, if some pirate crew tried to recruit you, you'd be in.

The water swells behind you. You paddle to catch the wave. Surf conditions turned out to be optimal today, so you'd rented a board for an afternoon of shredding.

You rise on the board and find your balance. There's something exhilarating about gliding over water, the breeze in your hair and the spray of the sea on your face. The wave curls, encasing you in a tunnel of rushing water. You see a school of silver fish to your right. You wish you could swim with them - you think about investing the rest of the day in snorkeling -

"Whoa, watch out!"

It's the last thing you hear before something very firm knocks you on the head and your board disappears from under you. You plunge deep into the cool water. The wave rolls you over and over as it passes, leaving you disoriented and very low on oxygen. You try to find up - the safety cord on your ankle is gone - and the water is so clear that there's no following the light -

You choke on the carbon dioxide filling your lungs. You're starting to get dizzy. You kick desperately in any direction. Your brain refuses to be without oxygen any longer and orders you to breathe. You take a great pull of water and gag. The panic only makes you inhale more of the salty, stinging solution. Your chest is on fire, then, in an instant, none of it matters...

The ocean gives one more great heave, as though trying to spit you out. You bob along with the current, too weak to fight anymore.

Hands are suddenly on you, slapping your face and shaking you. You vomit up a lot of water and gasp in all the air your lungs had been missing. You flail wildly for anything steady and reassuring to hold onto as you come back to reality.

"It's alright, I've got you," a woman's kind voice says from somewhere above you. You clench her arm and use it as grounding while the breaths tear out of your aching chest.

The world slowly comes back into focus before your stinging eyes. The sky is still blue, and the sun is in it along with a flock of gulls. A rush of foam sizzles over your legs - you're still by the water. Whoever was talking must have saved you from drowning, and not a second too soon. Your raw throat struggles to form words. "Tha - thank - "

"Shh, you shouldn't speak. Come here."

You're pulled into a warm, soft bed of pleasantly-scented fabric. You cuddle into it instinctively. The woman the very fluffy towel belongs to coos soothingly to you.

"Elizabeth? What have you got there?" a man asks.

"A girl! The poor thing washed ashore, almost drowned. Give me your coat, Father, she hasn't got any clothes - "

Another layer of fabric is draped over you. You mumble in thanks. You're really too exhausted by your near-death experience to be very social. For all you care, they could leave you there on the beach to sleep it off, as long as high tide isn't any time soon.

You awake in a very comfortable bed. You smile, eyes still closed. What a perfect resolution to one terrifying event. Some good Samaritan had returned you to your cabin and put you to bed. Though you're sore, you're warm, and however long you were asleep was enough to rejuvenate you. You open your eyes to meet an unfamiliar ceiling.

You blink. The ceiling in your cabin is a very nice wood. And your bed is not a four-postered one. _And your cabin does not have a window with a balcony overlooking a town by the sea_. You sit bolt upright and stare around, worried. This is no room you've ever been in, though it seems bizarrely familiar.

The door opens, revealing a beautiful young lady in an antique dress. She enters with a smile and a tray. You greet her with a piercing scream.

She jumps and hastily shuts the door. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you!" she calls over your din.

" _You're Elizabeth Swann_ ," you shriek.

"I - yes, I'm Elizabeth Swann. Do I know you?"

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh no. This isn't happening. This can't be happening. I'm dead. I've died, I'm dead, I drowned and now I'm in - heaven? Is _this_ heaven?"

"No, this isn't heaven, and you haven't drowned. Please calm down and let me explain." She waits for you to take a shuddering breath before continuing. "I found you in the water during a walk on the beach. I pulled you out and you coughed up a lot of water. I couldn't just leave you there."

"S-So you brought me to your house and put me in your bed?" It's both an exclamation and a sincere question.

Elizabeth nods, looking very worried for your mental state.

"So I'm in Port Royal. In the Caribbean. In the house of the governor, in the bed of the governor's daughter."

"Yes, right on all accounts. You must be from the town to know so much. Does your family know what's happened?"

"No, I - I'm not from here," you say truthfully. "I just got in yesterday..."

"Well, a very unlucky way to start your visit! I do hope things get better for you, miss - sorry, I didn't catch your name?"

You fight through the chaos in your brain to give a name that would fit in with the time period, because if this you really are smack in the middle of the 1700s, your name will not do at all. "I'm...I'm Ella?" you half-ask.

"That's a lovely name. I'm Elizabeth, though it seems you already know me. What brought you to Port Royal, Ella?"

You stare, dumbfounded, as it occurs to you that you're going to have to whip up an entire persona to keep from being thrown in the asylum. "I - um - I'm sorry, I'm having trouble remembering..."

"It's alright, don't strain yourself. Here, I brought you some water."

You try not to make a face at the kind gesture; for all you know, this was as good as toilet water. You drink it anyway, as your throat is a mess, and find it surprisingly refreshing. "Thank you," you sigh. "And thank you for bringing me to your own bed. You're very kind, Miss Swann."

"Please, call me Elizabeth. And you're welcome to it. You should stay with us for a few days, at least until your memory is clearer."

"Oh! I couldn't impose..." you say politely, but you really hope she insists, because you have nowhere else to go.

"Not at all!" she says warmly. "We have plenty of room. It's only my father and I and the servants. I certainly couldn't turn you out in the streets."

"Well, thank you again," you say sincerely. "Your hospitality is more than appreciated. I am in your debt."

Elizabeth escorts you to a guest room that is just as lavish as hers. She lets you rest for the evening, promising to have a maid bring you dinner. You thank her yet again and collapse on the bed once she exits. Your mind is spinning from the impossibility of it all. No logic in the world can explain how you almost drown and then wash up on the shore of a beach three centuries in the past, no less _in your favorite series of movies_. It is impossible. It's completely impossible. Yet here you are, the guest of the governor's daughter.

You gaze out the window at the town beside the ocean. Ships rock gently by the busy docks. Horse-drawn carriages traverse the cobblestone streets. People on foot stop to greet each other. Yeah, you're definitely _way_ back in the day.

You stare out the window for a long time, particularly at the docks, wondering when or if a certain infamous pirate would come to call.


	2. Promotion

Okay, so I'm gonna try to keep these updates as often as Destiny Undone, because my best friend WHO THIS IS FOR AND WHOSE FAULT THIS ENTIRELY IS is bribing me with Hobbit RPs. Also, I'm kind of really pumped to get to the good stuff.

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

You wake up the next morning slowly and then just lie in the bed. Reality came crashing down on you some time during the night, and you're now faced with the extent of your near-death time travel. Electricity, the internet, and indoor plumbing are now a thing of the past - or, a thing of the future - as is basic sanitation and medical care beyond leeches. The universe had better have one hell of an adventure in store for you to make up for the loss of these comforts.

And in truth, the prospect of an adventure is daunting. You're terribly average for your time period; you like junk food and Netflix and payday, and sometimes you exercise, but you can't sword fight or tend a ship or hold down a trade. You'll need to start collecting skills immediately so as not to be at the mercy of others when the action picks up.

You rise and attempt to don one of the dresses Elizabeth loaned you. There's so many layers that you're sure you left at least two of them out. You tiptoe down the stairs, really not wanting to be seen by anyone, and consequently run into someone in the foyer.

"Ouch! Oh, sorry, excuse me!"

"No, excuse me, miss," a warm voice responds.

You gape. " _Will?_ "

William Turner himself is who you collided with. At the mention of his name, he blinks.

"I mean - Mr. Turner," you correct yourself quickly.

"Sorry, have we met?"

"Er, no, I - Elizabeth mentioned you!" you blurt out. "I'm staying with her. She, uh, saved me from drowning?" You sound ridiculous even to yourself, but you have a feeling Will stopped listening when you said Elizabeth's name. Well, you suppose it's extra karma points to you for giving their relationship a boost.

Will smiles slightly. "What a small world. It sounds like she's made a habit of it."

"Yeah, that's when she mentioned you. Um, sorry, it looks like I'm keeping you..." You glance at the long black case under his arm.

"Not at all. I'm here to deliver Governor Swann's order."

"Right. Well, um, I should go. But I'll see you again! I mean, I hope!" You give up on salvaging the conversation and hurry to an empty parlor to scold yourself. If you're going to avoid coming across as completely insane, you'll need to wait until people introduce themselves.

That's when it hits you.

You watch the exchange between Governor Swann and Will with a pounding heart. That sword in the case is for Norrington's promotion ceremony, which must take place later today, during which Elizabeth will faint off a cliff and Jack will rescue her and -

You collapse on the couch, overwhelmed with what you've unwittingly been dropped into. If Will is here to deliver the sword this afternoon, it means that in a few short hours, the Black Pearl will be attacking the port and Elizabeth will be kidnapped. And you'll be around to witness it all.

Not that you haven't witnessed it before, of course. It was no coincidence that you hoped to be drafted by pirates while in the Caribbean. You've seen those movies enough times to put on a one-woman show of them - and you have before, when you have trouble falling asleep. Now, however, you have the chance to live them.

The Swanns have left by the time you collect yourself. That knocks out the chance of going with them to Norrington's promotion ceremony. You'll have to secure your place in the impending adventure some other way. And what better method to do it than to go to the head man himself?

You run to the docks. There's no way you're too late; it must be an hour at the very least before Elizabeth falls. Sure enough, after about ten minutes of waiting, you see a small vessel gliding over and into the water. There he stands at the top of the mast, looking ridiculous and majestic and ridiculously majestic. You watch as he pays off the dock official and picks his pocket the next second.

"Jack!" you can't help but call.

He turns on his heel towards the sound of his name. You shake your head and smile. For all that you know about this man, you are in for a wild ride.

"I don't believe we met before, miss," he says smoothly, sauntering unsteadily towards you. "I'd certainly remember such a pretty face."

You laugh, and there's an edge of hysteria to it. _Captain Jack Sparrow_ is standing in front of you in the flesh and he is _flirting_ with you. You silently thank whatever higher power brought you here. "No, we haven't met," you sigh affectionately.

"Then how did you know my name?"

"By your most wanted posters, maybe? Your reputation preceeds you."

"Ah. Well, I'd thank you to keep that under wraps. To the less discerning eye, I am simply Mr. Smith."

"And what brings you to Port Royal, _Mr. Smith?_ "

"I could tell you in a more comfortable place. Know of any good pubs?"

"No, I just got in the other day. Can I walk with you?"

"Of course. A proper lady should never go out alone."

You snort. "And I'm sure you're all about propriety."

"What brought _you_ to Port Royal?" he inquires as the two of you stroll along the shore.

"The water," you answer truthfully. "Really. I almost drowned. My new friend saved me."

"And you just give away friendship to the first person who saves you?"

"She's the governer's daughter."

"I see." Jack's chocolate eyes gleam with interest. "And are you staying with your new friend while you recover?"

"Don't even think about it," you head him off.

He shrugs. "It was worth a try."

"Don't you have enough to focus on with stealing a ship?"

Jack blinks at you. "How did you know I was planning to steal a ship?"

"Uhh..." You bite your lip, wondering how best to cover your slip-up. "Well, didn't your boat sink on the way in?"

"You saw that?"

"Everyone saw that."

"But you were by the docks when I came in. Were you waiting for me?"

"What? No, that's - "

"Now lass, don't play games with me." Jack's voice is low and sultry and laced with the slightest hint of threat. "I always win at games."

Your back is against a wooden support pole. You gulp at his proximity. You'd forgotten that he could get like this. He obviously isn't buying your flimsy excuses, but you can't outright tell him that where you come from, his life is a series of highly successful movies. So your grand alibi comes out in a half-baked tumble: "I'm a sea witch."

"You don't say."

"Don't take that disbelieving tone with me," you snap, trying to sound commanding. "It's not like you don't believe in the supernatural. You know Tia Dalma."

Jack's eyes widen. "How did you - ?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought! So you'd better be nice to me or I'll summon a hurricane or something!"

"A hurricane?" Jack raises an eyebrow.

"Okay, fine, I can't summon a hurricane. I'm more into the, uh, divining side of the craft. That's how I knew you'd be here and that you came to steal a ship. And I've seen fit to help you out."

"Have you? In exchange for what? There must be something in it for you. Witches don't work for free."

"You have to bring me along."

Jack leans back and rubs his beard, considering you. You attempt to look haughty and sure of yourself, when inside you're congratulating yourself for BS-ing such a solid back story under pressure.

Jack questions, "If you do know so much, what ship did I come to steal?"

"The Interceptor, because it's the fastest," you answer loftily. "But not as fast as the Pearl."

"You know of the Pearl?" he asks quickly.

"Of course I do. Barbossa took it, and now you're trying to get it back. I've found it in my good heart to assist you."

"Mm- _hmm_." Jack stares at you for a moment more. "Well, if you truly have the powers of divination, I suppose I could let you tag along. Might prove useful. Let's go."

"Hold your horses, Cap. I've got a place here as a lady of good stock. I'm gonna be playing a lot of sides until we get out of here, so don't count on my help too much just yet."

"Playing sides, eh? Sounds like you're more of a pirate than a lady of good stock."

You roll your eyes. "I figured you'd say that."


	3. Lying in Wait

I WILL POST IN A TIMELY MANNER IF IT KILLS ME.

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

You bid Jack farewell before he reaches his destination. "You've got some incidents coming up that I don't want to be involved in," you tell him.

"Fair enough. I'll pick you up later, then, shall I?"

"More like _I'll_ find _you_. Good luck, Captain."

"Oh, lass, luck has nothing to do with it."

You shake your head as he swaggers away. You return to the Swann estate to wait out the rather irrelevant plot points until your adventure gets underway. It's hard to stay occupied for the rest of the afternoon; you can't quite focus on the book when you know that Jack is coming into custody, escaping, dueling Will, and being captured again. But none of that really concerns you, so why be in the way?

Elizabeth returns home later that night. You listen and pretend to be surprised as she describes her eventful afternoon. "It all sounds very stressful," you comment empathetically.

"Yes, I suspected the commodore might propose, but I must admit I wasn't entirely prepared for it," she sighs.

"I mean, it _is_ a good match. He has status and he's not bad looking. But you are young. You have plenty of time to find someone you love."

"Young? I am nineteen! Most women my age have children!"

You wrinkle your nose. You'd forgotten that unfortunate detail about the olden days. "Right. Well, do think it over before you accept. There may be other paths you'd like better. Good night, Elizabeth."

"Good night, Ella. Thank you for listening."

You retire to your room and look out the window. The Black Pearl should be sailing in right about now. You lock your door and take a pillow and blanket to the spacious closet. You're not about to get kidnapped by the pirates. That's Elizabeth's job, and you're much more interested in the other side of this adventure. Anyway, you fancy some shut-eye before committing multiple crimes tomorrow.

The booming of cannons shakes you out of your light sleep. You can't help but run to the window to look out over the harbor. Flashes of light come from seemingly nowhere in the bay; the Pearl blends in perfectly with the night. Buildings explode and people scream as the crew lands and begins terrorizing the town. You yawn and grab the metal bed warmer before returning to your cozy closet.

Morning breaks on the damage in the town. You rise with the light, not wanting to be late. Governor Swann is rushing around, giving orders on how to clean up the mansion as he readies to meet with Norrington. He sees you come down the stairs; you hastily put on a shocked expression.

"Governor Swann, what on earth happened?" you gasp in your best impression of a fragile Victorian lady. "I heard a terrible racket last night and hid in my closet! Where is Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth was kidnapped by the dastardly pirates that attacked last night," he says tensely. "I am leaving to see to her rescue. Please, Miss Ella, stay put in the house."

"Of course! Godspeed, Governor."

You wait until he's out the door before strolling easily after him. You keep a good distance as you tail him through the tail and up to the fort. You find a nice niche to wait in close enough to the planning room to see when Will comes. You only have a few minutes to wait before he jogs up. You watch with a smile as he sticks up for his longtime crush, but to no avail.

"Do not make the mistake of thinking you are the only man here who cares for Elizabeth," Norrington tells him somewhat threateningly.

Will regards him icily before walking off. You jog to catch up with him. "Mr. Turner, wait!"

Will turns around and blinks in surprise. "Miss?"

"You remember me, right?"

"You're Miss Swann's friend."

"Right. And you're about to do something crazy, and I'm coming with you."

"I don't know what you - "

"Oh, save it. C'mon, let's begin our life of crime and get Jack out of jail." You start off at a brisk pace.

It's Will's turn to catch up with you. "You know Sparrow? How?" he demands.

"It's more of a very recent acquaintance. I'll explain later when we're less busy."

With most of the soldiers helping with cleanup or rallying to go after Elizabeth, you and Will are free to walk right into the jail. Jack is lying on his back in his cell.

Will goes right up to the bars. "You, Sparrow!"

"Eh?" Jack looks up boredly.

"You are familiar with that ship, the Black Pearl?"

Jack ignores Will and instead makes a face at you. "Could've used your help last night," he mutters.

"Answer the question, Jack."

"I've heard of it."

"Where does it make berth?"

"Where does it make berth?" Jack sits up. "Have you not heard the stories? _Captain_ Barbossa and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta. It's an island that cannot be found except my those who already know where it is."

Will is frustrated by the riddles. "The ship is real enough, so its anchorage must be a real place. Where is it?"

"Why ask me?" Jack leans back easily. "Your new lady friend surely knows."

Will looks at you sharply. You hold your hands up. "I've got no idea where it is. Jack, please be cooperative."

"Well, why ask me? Unless you're looking to turn pirate yourself..."

"Never!" Will glares at Jack for a moment, then looks away. "They took Miss Swann."

"Oh, so it _is_ that you've found a girl! Well, if you're intending to brave all and hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart, you'll have to do it alone. I see no profit in it for me."

"Oh my god, this is boring," you say aloud. Both Will and Jack look at you, surprised. "Will, grab that bench. Let's bust Jack out and get this show on the road."

"Excellent idea," Jack agrees.

Will is unsure, but he follows your lead. The two of you use the bench to pop the door off its hinges. "How did you know I was going to do that?" Will asks you in an undertone.

"She's a witch," Jack says casually, grabbing his effects. "Dabbles in the black art of divination, apparently. She's our ticket to finding your dearly beloved. Now, follow me."

The three of you run out. "Sorry," you say to a very bewildered Will. "I was going to tell you a bit more delicately."

"Then you _are_ a witch?"

"Uh, yeah, let's go with that."

Will smiles wryly. "Then perhaps it is good you're not staying in Port Royal."

"I was thinking the same thing."

You follow Jack to the beach to steal a longboat for some underwater travel. It's ethereal, being in a tiny bubble of air so many feet below the ocean surface. You have to remind yourself to breathe.

"This is either madness or brilliance," Will mutters from the back.

"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide," Jack replies.

It's also remarkable how you manage to climb the rope that is the way onto the Dauntless. Jack and Will shimmy up like monkeys; Will takes the time to help you along. You're so disoriented by the time you hit the deck that you don't even have the wherewithall to make an awesome stance as Jack announces, "Everyone remain calm. We are taking over this ship!"

Will, unfortunately, still has his "wits". "Aye, avast!"

The crew laughs. Jack shoots Will a look.

"This ship cannot be crewed by two men," the captain scoffs. "You'll never make it out of the bay."

Jack smirks. "Son, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?"

You bite your tongue to keep from squealing like a school girl. You wait while Jack *persuades* the entire crew into a longboat with the help of his pistol. You attempt to help get the ship ready to sail, but you're more in the way than anything. Finally the Dauntless gains speed through the combined efforts of Will and Jack.

"Here they come," Will murmurs uneasily, gazing at the rapidly approaching Interceptor.

The three of you hide next to the cannons and wait for the soldiers to board. "We're swinging over?" you whisper.

"Unless you can make the jump," Jack replies.

"I don't think I can make the swing. I could hardly climb the rope earlier. Can you help me?"

"What? Why?"

"Oh, for the love of - " In one fluid motion, Will scoops you up, grabs the rope, and kicks off the railing. Your scream is muffled in his coat as you hide your face. You and Will land hard on the deck of the Interceptor, and Will lets you go. "Sorry about the ride."

"It's - okay - " you gasp, full of adrenaline. You give Jack a glare, but he's too busy taunting to care.

"Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way! We'd've had a hard time of it by ourselves!" Jack shouts back to the Dauntless. The response is a shower of gunfire; you and Will hit the deck.

"Not bad," Jack comments, taking the wheel. "You're useful in a tight spot, lad."

"My name is Will, Will Turner," Will says. "We haven't been properly introduced, I guess, despite dueling and committing various crimes together."

Jack turns fully to look at him. "Turner, eh? Named for your father, I imagine?"

"Yes, why?"

"What was his trade?"

"He was a sailor. He left when I was young. My mother raised me by herself. After she died, I came out here to look for him."

Jack's eyes gleam with understanding. "Not surprising. You look just like him."

Will blinks. "You knew my father?"

"I knew him. Probably one the few who knew him as William Turner . Everyone else just called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill."

"Bootstrap?"

"He was a good man. Good pirate."

"It's not true. He was a merchant sailor. A good, respectable man who obeyed the law!"

"He was a bloody pirate, a scallywag!"

Will stands and draws his sword. "My father was _not_ a pirate!"

As they play out their little spat, you realize that the only reason they're having this conversation now is because you'd interrupted it at the jail. You muse that you'll have to restrain your desire to fast forward past dialogue that may or may not be relevant. This is life now, real life, and real life doesn't have a fast forward button.

This lesson is driven home as you sail toward Tortuga. The sun is setting when you burst you, "Are we _there_ yet?!"

"What?" Jack looks at you like you're crazy. "We've only been sailing for a few hours!"

"How long does it take to get to Tortuga?"

"A few days, assuming we have the wind."

"Oh my _god_." You flop back on the deck. "What are we supposed to do for that long?"

"Now we wait, lass. Now we wait."


	4. Tortuga

Expect timely updates, friends. I have the motivator of the CENTURY. I mean, don't misunderstand me, I'm excited for the story, but THE REWARDS ARE MY DRIVING FORCE OKAY I AM EASILY BOUGHT

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

You eventually come up with a very productive way to burn the days to Tortuga: sword training during the day and storytelling in the evening.

The sword training goes well initially with Will as your instructor. He starts off with the basics and is very encouraging. Before long, Jack is interjecting his opinion on technique. Will finally gets fed up with this and retorts smartly, leading to the two of them circling each other with their swords out.

"Wow, uh, hello?" You jump in between them. "This is supposed to be about teaching _me_ , not a pissing contest between the two of you!"

"You're right." Will stands down. "I shouldn't have let my temper get the best of me."

Jack does not apologize, simply replaces his sword.

Will continues, "That's enough for today. You're doing well for a beginner. We'll pick it up tomorrow."

"Thanks, Will. Now, Jack, your turn to be useful."

"I was _trying_ to be useful and show you the right way to fight, but you weren't interested," Jack says loftily.

"How about you be useful and tell me a story. One of your stories."

Caught between remaining aloof and talking about himself, Jack unsurprisingly chooses the latter. He's even more animated than usual as he regales you with one of his many adventures. Even Will begins to listen in. This cycle repeats, training and stories, until _finally_ you spot land.

"It's about time!" you exclaim, hanging over the railing. "If this is supposed to be the fastest ship in the Royal Navy, I'd die on the slowest!"

It's another million years to steer into the harbor and dock, but at last you're on solid land once more. It feels odd to have a stationary surface under your feet after so long at sea; you wonder if that's why Jack always sways.

Tortuga is no less wild than you remember it. You stick very close in between Jack and Will so as not to get swept away in one of the many street brawls or grabbed by a drunk sailor. The noise of yelling, gunfire, breaking glass, and laughing makes it hard to hear Jack's fond commentary.

"It is indeed a sad life that has never breathed deep the sweet, proliferous bouquet that is Tortuga! What do you think?"

Will makes a face. "It'll linger."

"I'll tell you, mate, if every town in the world were like this one, no man would ever feel unwanted."

At that moment, a woman with a very low-cut dress and a heap of red hair stalks up. "Scarlett!" Jack exclaims brightly.

Scarlett's response is a swift palm to the cheek. You laugh, feeling it payback for him ignoring your hint to help you swing on the rope. Jack makes a face. "Not sure I deserved that."

Cue Giselle. "Who was she?"

"What?"

Another smack. You nod approvingly.

"Erg...I may have deserved that. Let's get going, shall we?"

"You mean you don't want to stay around wait for more girls to find you?" you tease.

Jack glares at you.

The three of you make your way to the less rowdy part of town. Behind one of the outlying bars is a pig sty with none other than Joshamee Gibbs snuggled up with the pigs.

"We could poke him with something," you say as both Jack and Will are slow to get in the mud.

"I've got a better idea," Will says. He scoops up a water bucket meant for the pigs and sloshes its contents with stellar aim all over Gibbs.

"Curse you for breathin', you slack-jawed idiot!" Gibbs roars, coming violently out of sleep and brandishing a knife. Once he rubs his eyes and refocuses, his demeanor changes completely. "Mother's love! Jack! You should know better than to wake a man when he's sleeping. 'S bad luck!"

"Fortunately, I know how to counter it. The man who did the waking buys the man who was sleeping a drink. The man who was sleeping drinks it while listening to a proposition from the man who did the waking."

Gibbs is bemused but doesn't dwell on it. "Aye, that'll about do it!"

On the way back to a tavern, Gibbs realizes the group is not made up exclusively of men. "Hello, missy," he says, smiling at you. "Jack, it's not like you to bring your ladies around."

"She's not one of mine. That's, uh - that's - "

You stare at him indignantly. "You never bothered to learn my name?!"

"You never bothered to introduce yourself!"

"You could have asked!"

"I figured it'd come out eventually."

"My name is Ella," you say pointedly to Gibbs. "It's nice to meet you."

"Joshamee Gibbs, at your service, lass."

"I appreciate it. That brings the total number of useful men in this party up to two."

Without looking over his shoulder, Jack quips, "That's not a nice way to talk about Mr. Turner."

"Oh my god." You rub your forehead. "You'd better get me a drink when we get to the pub or I might not make it through this night."

Jack does at least do that. You take the mug full of what you assume is some sort of alcohol and stand next to Will. After a small sip, you say, "I wasn't calling _you_ useless."

Will smiles. "I know."

"I tell you what, this adventure is not at all going how I expected. It's...slow. Slow and annoying."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

"Oh, right. This isn't an adventure to you yet. It's still a rescue mission."

"I take it that it won't stay that simple?"

You grin. "If you only knew!"

After a pretty uncomfortable night on a nasty excuse for a mattress and a rather unsatisfying tavern breakfast, you follow Jack and Will to the docks to meet the crew Gibbs rounded up that morning. The men (and undercover lady) are lined up for inspection. Jack walks up and down the line with a thoughtful expression; Will, with an unconvinced one.

"They're good," you tell Jack.

"Is that your professional opinion?"

"...I don't like your tone, Jack."

"You're registered as a witch, lass, not a weathered sailor. Leave the crew-picking to the _real_ professionals."

"Professional?" you shriek. "You asshole!"

The crew, Gibbs, and Jack blink at you. You realize that ladies in this day aren't supposed to curse, but you don't back down.

"Has a mouth like a sailor," Will mutters, trying not to laugh.

"She's not wrong," another female voice rings out.

Jack steps apprehensively towards the figure wearing the overlarge hat and removes it. "Anamaria."

Smack! That one echoes. You smirk. Maybe you'll give it a try soon, since slapping Jack seems to be the traditional way other women greet him.

"I suppose you didn't deserve that, either?" Will asks skeptically.

"No, that one I deserved."

Anamaria nods furiously. "You stole my boat!"

"Actually - "

Slap!

"Borrowed! Borrowed without permission, but with every intention of bringing it back!"

"But you _didn't!_ "

"You'll get another one!"

Anamaria points violently at Jack, who recoils. "I _will_..."

"A better one," Will supplies.

"A better one!" agrees Jack.

"That one!"

"What one?" Jack looks to where Will is pointing. " _That one?!_ Er, aye, that one! What say you?"

The crew choruses an aye and heads to ready the ship. Anamaria grabs her hat back before stalking off. You have a feeling the two of you will be good friends.

Gibbs is very uncomfortable about the selection. "It's frightful bad luck to bring a woman aboard, sir - much less _two_ women."

Jack makes a face. "It'd be far worse not to have them."


	5. All Aboard

Thanks for all the favorites/reviews, darlings! It's a short chapter, but I hope you're excited for what's coming up!

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

You are excused from manual labor based on the fact that you have no idea how to work a ship. The only condition is that you stay out of the way. You fulfill that condition by exploring every nook and cranny of the ship. It's much bigger than it looks, and it's still not as big as the Pearl or the cruise liner you disappeared from.

You save the captain's quarters for last and are rather disappointed. Everything is neat and tidy and un-lived-in. The only perk of that is a comfortable mattress. You bounce a few times on it.

"Enjoying yourself?"

You jump. Jack's grinning at you from the door frame. You'll have to remember how stealthily he can move. "I was just checking out the mattress. The one at the tavern was awful. This one seems comfortable enough, though." You lie down and roll around on it.

"You are aware that this is the _captain's_ cabin, right?"

"And are _you_ aware that I'm not about to sleep in a hammock with a bunch of men?"

"You are a very bold little girl," Jack comments, moving towards you step by step. If it's meant to intimidate you, it kind of does. "Calling the captain names and then stealing his bed...I could put you in the brig for that..."

You take a deep breath. You know exactly where this is headed, but seeing as he only just learned your name yesterday, you're not about to let it go down that path. You say haughtily, "Do that and I'll put a curse on you."

"Ooh, wouldn't want that, would we? Especially not since I've already so narrowly avoided one."

"Oh, that's right. The curse of the Black Pearl." You smirk to yourself. You've managed to say the title of the "movie" in common conversation, and you hadn't even meant to. You feel like sunglasses should descend from the sky and alight on your face for how cool that was.

"Curse of the Black Pearl. That'd make a good story. But yes, that's the one I mean."

"I want to see your cabin on the Pearl," you say eagerly. "I'm sure it's much more interesting than this one."

"Assuming Barbossa hasn't ruined it, yes, it is quite interesting. I'll show it to you one day. That bed is also _very_ comfortable."

"I'll be the judge of that."

"I was hoping you would be."

You look towards the bookcase, trying to hide your blush. "Don't you have a ship to steer?"

"Mr. Gibbs is at the helm. I actually did have a reason for coming in here other than to woo you." Jack rifles through the drawers in the desk and pulls out several maps and other charting equipment. "What's a pirate without his map?"

You meander over and watch him. The yellowed parchment is crossed with lines and dotted with land masses and is utterly incomprehensible. Jack only adds to it by making his own stripes and notes.

"You should factor in a giant storm," you tell him.

"I figured it might rain. 'S alright, maybe the wind will give us a nice push."

Rain and wind are nothing close to what the heavens drop that night. You'd think it a hurricane if you didn't know any better. Waves rock the boat and crash over the sides, drenching the crew further. Blinding lightning crackles along with the thunder and howling gales. You sit close to the railing up at the helm, your arms laced through the spokes to keep from being washed overboard.

"Go to bed!" Jack shouts at you. You can hardly hear him over the storm.

"What if I don't make it?" you yell back.

"Run fast!"

You suppose the cabin would be a safer bet than open air, so you run across the slippery deck, dodging crew and waves and the occasional bit of loose cargo. You slam the door shut behind you. The racket from the storm is only slightly muffled, but it's already warmer and drier. You shed your heavy, sopping dress and lay it across a chair to dry. A quick search of the drawers yields a shirt and overlarge pair of pants. It's better than nothing; you pull them on and dive under the covers to shiver until you dry.

Somehow you manage to fall asleep in the midst of the roaring storm. When you wake, the world is damp and eerily quiet.

"Morning, sunshine," says Jack from the desk. "It's about time you woke up. We're almost there."

"Wow. I slept that long?" You sit up and stretch. "Have you slept at all?"

"No, which is why I'd like you to hop up."

You rise, and Jack falls on the bed. "Good sailing last night," you compliment him. "I suppose you are tired."

He grunts noncommittally and pushes his hat over his eyes. "Not much of a sea witch if you can't even control the weather."

"I told you, my expertise is divination."

He's asleep before you finish your sentence. You sigh and head outside. A wispy fog lies on the surface of the water, and with the quietly lapping waves and overall human silence, you wish you were back in the cabin.

You move to stand beside Will, who is gazing out over the misty ocean. "A lot on your mind?" you ask quietly.

He nods without looking at you. "This is where the pirates took Miss Swann - according to Jack, anyway. Do you know if he's right?"

"Yeah, he's right."

"Then we need a plan to rescue her, preferably one that doesn't involve the two of us against an entire crew."

"Three," you correct him. "I won't be much help if there's a fight, but I'm coming along. This will be the most interesting thing that's happened since we stole the Interceptor."

"Interesting?" Will smiles. "You really are here for an adventure, aren't you?"

"Yep. And I'm about to start getting my money's worth."

Jack rises from his short nap right before the anchor is dropped. You accompany him and Will into a longboat. He raises an eyebrow at you. "You're coming with us?"

"She's getting her money's worth," Will teases, winking at you.

"Fine with me. Hop in and hold on."


	6. All That is Gold

Leave it to me to put a LOTR reference in a title tbh

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

Jack rows into the cavern. Torches glint off gold pieces and jewelry on the bottom of the shallow passage. The boat glides by a skeleton, which unnerves Will. "What code is Gibbs to keep to if the worst should happen?" he asks uneasily.

"Pirate's code," Jack replies. "Any man that falls behind is left behind."

"No heroes amongst thieves, eh?"

"You know, for having such a bleak outlook on pirates you're well on your way to becoming one. You sprung a man from jail, commandeered a ship of the Fleet, sailed with a buccaneer crew out of Tortuga…and you're completely obsessed with treasure."

"That's not true!" Will protests as the boat lands. "I am _not_ obsessed with treasure."

"Not all treasure is silver and gold," you chirp before Jack can say it. Jack glances at you in surprise before turning to the gap in the rock wall.

The crew of the Black Pearl is gathered around the stone chest where Barbossa and Elizabeth stand. Barbossa is giving his speech, probably well-rehearsed for what he thought would be the end of the curse: "Every last piece that went astray we have returned - save for this!"

"Jack!" Will starts forward, panicked, causing some stacked coins to tinkle to the floor.

"Not yet!" Jack grabs Will's shoulder. "We wait for the opportune moment."

"When's that? When it's the greatest profit to you?"

"May I ask you something? Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?"

"Plenty of reasons," you interject.

"Do us a favor - I know it's difficult for you, but please, the both of you, stay *here*, and try not to do anything stupid." Jack scurries off, leaving you with an infuriated Will.

"You can do it if you want," you say to Will, gazing after Jack. "I won't stop you. He does deserve it."

Will contemplates a moment, then turns back to grab an oar. You skip after him and chuckle when he smacks Jack upside the head with it. "Sorry, Jack, I'm not going to be your leverage," he mutters.

"You go ahead and get Elizabeth," you say. "I'll stay here with this one."

"Are you sure? If the pirates notice Elizabeth is missing - "

"No, believe me, I don't fancy being with you guys for the next leg of this."

Will does not look encouraged, but he tiptoes off to rescue Elizabeth. You make yourself comfortable on the cave floor to wait for Jack to come to. It takes too long, so you cup some water in your hands and splash it on his face. The chilly water makes Jack splutter and sit up in alarm. You wave.

"Where'd Turner go?" he demands.

"He got Elizabeth and left."

"And _left?!_ What about us?"

"Uh...let's just take a walk around."

Jack sways more than usual when he stands. The two of you get less than ten steps into the treasure cavern before meeting Pintel and Ragetti and the unfriendly ends of their weapons.

"Palulay-lu-lu..." Jack slurs. "Er, partner, parsnips..."

"It's parley," you say for him, "and make that for the both of us, thanks."

"Down to the depths whatever madman thought up parley," Pintel grumbles.

You smile. "That would be the French."

The pirates march you and Jack none too gently further into the main cavern. You're in awe of the piles of every imaginable type of treasure that are heaped in the large cave. Jack leans easily on his sword. You move a bit closer to him, not fond of the way some of the pirates are leering at you.

Barbossa glares at Jack for a long while before finally asking sourly, "How in blazes did you make it off that island?"

Jack smirks easily. "When you marooned me on that God-forsaken spit of land, you forgot one very important thing, mate: I'm Captain Jack Sparrow."

"Ah, well, I won't be making that mistake again. Gents, you all remember Captain Jack Sparrow?" The pirates jeer and nod. "Kill him."

"Whoa, hang on a second!" You step in between Jack and Barbossa with your hands up. "We're all adults here. Surely we can come to some sort of understanding."

Barbossa raises an eyebrow at you. "Fighting Jack's battles for him, eh, lass? That might not be the wisest thing."

"I don't need anyone to fight my battles for me!" Jack says indignantly.

"Jack, you shut up. Captain Barbossa," You turn up the charm. "Like I said, we can work something out. You just want to end the curse. That's completely understandable. We can get you the right blood and the medallion if you guarantee our safe return to our ship."

"Well, well!" Barbossa chuckles, looking to Jack. "Where did you find a lass like this, Jack? She's quite the negotiator."

Jack makes a face at you and mutters, "Do you know what you're doing?"

"Of course I know what I'm doing. So what do you say, Captain? Do we have an accord?"

Barbossa takes your hand and kisses it. "We have an accord."

The pirates escort the two of you back to the longboats. Jack whispers to you on the way, "You mind telling me where the bloody hell that came from?"

"I'd tell you if I knew," you whisper back. The smooth words had just come out. You hadn't planned to interfere. "But don't complain. It seems like Barbossa's more fond of me than he is of you. That might come in handy later."

You arrive on the Pearl and are immediately amazed by its size. The masts stand tall and grand with flags flying at their top. The trademark black sails are tattered, contributing to the ghost ship legend. It will be a work of art once Jack gets to do a little restoration.

"It's beautiful," you murmur.

"Aye, she is," Jack responds quietly, looking up at the helm. "Not in the best shape of her life, but at least she's sailing."

Barbossa brings the two of you to the captain's cabin. You're fully aware that you're sort of a prisoner, but you don't care: you start exploring the second the door closes.

Barbossa inquires as you go through the bookshelf, "Would you like to work out a plan for the exchange or continue snooping through my things?"

"They're Jack's things, technically," you say absentmindedly, flipping through a book, "but sure, let's hammer out the details."

Jack says, "We'll give you the medallion and the lad as promised, and I'll take my ship back. I'm sure we can find you a nice sandy beach to wait on."

"So you expect to leave me on some beach with a boy and a necklace and watch you sail away on my ship?"

"No! I expect to leave you on some beach with a boy and a necklace while you watch me sail away on _my_ ship, savvy?"

Barbossa looks to you. "Do you have a better offer?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. We can arrange a meeting with the Interceptor - a _peaceful_ meeting - and you can borrow Will for a few drops of blood and take the medallion. We'll come back to the cove and take Will back when you're done with him, then you can have the Interceptor and we'll keep the Pearl. That way nobody's stranded anywhere and everybody lives. How's that sound?"

"You drive a hard bargain, lass," Barbossa comments, rubbing his beard.

The bosun enters just then and announces, "Captain, we're coming up on the Interceptor."

Barbossa nods once. "We _could_ do this with a bit of diplomacy..."

You beam. "That's the spirit!"

"Or we could just take what we want and forget the negotiating."

"Wait, what?!"

"In the brig with them," he says to the bosun, who grabs you and Jack. "I'm not so easily won over by a pretty face and honeyed words, lass. You'd do well to remember that."

You're stunned into silence until the metal door slams shut, trapping you and Jack in the metal cage. You burst out furiously, "I can't _believe_ this!"

"Don't blame yourself, love," Jack says, peering out a hole in the side of the ship. "Barbossa's a slippery one. Those terms would've worked on any civilized man."

"No! That plan was _perfect!_ I was eloquent and charming and everything! I've never been that cool in my life, and now we're in the brig!" Tears prickle in the corners of your eyes.

"Oh lord, please don't do _that_." Jack sounds horrified at the thought of dealing with a crying girl. "It's not a big deal. I'll have us out in no time. This is my ship, after all. I know her from top to bottom. Just need a minute to think..."

"I'm not upset, I'm _mad!_ He totally killed my moment! So much for resolving things peacefully! I'm gonna kick his ass when I get out of here!"

Jack grins. "Well, that's a nice change. You'll have to get in line for revenge, though. But first things first: we need an escape plan."


	7. When Diplomacy Fails

**AWWW YEAH HOBBIT RP TIME**

Oh and also a new chapter. Sorry, I really don't have much to say about the first movie. Things really start picking up in DMC, but obviously we gotta get COTBP out of the way to set the stage. Just bear with me! Things will get real soon!

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

You explain to Jack why escaping early would end up being a lot more inconvenient than allowing fate to take its course. He grudgingly agrees with the assessment, so the two of you sit in the few inches of water and wait.

"Got a question for ya," Jack says after a period of silence.

"Yeah?"

"What made you decide to be a witch?"

You're stumped at the question. You decide to tell the truth, or at least a version of it. "It wasn't exactly a choice. Some sudden and uprooting life events made me decide that witchcraft would be the best option."

"So you sold your soul to the devil, huh? Guess that makes two of us. Why'd you choose divination?"

"Again, wasn't much of a choice."

"So can you learn more spells or whatever? Is there some kind of witch school?"

You laugh. "People these days think anyone who isn't Catholic is a heretic, why would there be any institution to teach witchcraft? No, there's no witch school, but maybe I could learn a thing or two from a more experienced practitioner. I haven't really thought about it."

"Huh."

"What made you decide to be a pirate?"

Jack grins. "It wasn't exactly a choice."

"Right. Sorry, I'm sure you don't like to talk about it."

"That's alright. It's been a while since I've had a decent conversation with anyone."

"Well, I'd love to talk to you anytime. I'm sure there's loads I could learn from you."

"Yeah? You looking to turn pirate?"

"I think that ship has sailed, literally and metaphorically."

Jack laughs at the pun. You feel your face grow hot. You'd never heard him laugh, and the sound is delightful. Before you can comment on it, the wood beside you explodes into splinters. You shriek and duck. When you look up, the metal lock has been blown away.

"Ah! Excellent." Jack stands up and pushes the door open. "You coming?"

"Out into a raging battle? Yeah, great, wouldn't miss it for the world."

"That's the spirit. Stick close!"

You stay on Jack's tail as you surface into the fighting. He hardly flinches when the bullets whiz by his head; you, on the other hand, have your face hidden in his back almost constantly. You expect every second to be shot or stabbed or to trip off the side of the ship. You jump when Jack stops walking and you bump into him.

He has a rope in hand. "Can you swing this, or do you need help?"

"Are you actually going to help me if I say I can't?"

"There's no Turner here to do it, so I guess I'll have to."

Before you can speak, he yanks you to his side. You just have time to grab hold of him before you're sailing through the air. The landing is rougher than the previous time; you barrel over the guy about to slash Elizabeth and topple to the deck.

"Ow," you grumble.

Elizabeth stares at you in shock. "Ella? You're here too?"

"Uh, surprise?"

"Where is the medallion?" Jack asks Elizabeth sharply.

"No, where's Will?" You look towards the grate to the lower deck.

Elizabeth gasps and dashes off. You run after her. Will is indeed below, trapped by the fallen mast. You and Elizabeth try desperately to shift it off, but it would take a team of at least ten men to do so.

"I can't move it," Elizabeth pants. "Will - "

But at that moment, a man grabs her from behind. You have no time to rescue her as you are also snatched. You scream and flail wildly to make it as hard as possible for the pirate to drag you away. He remedies that by knocking you hard on the head with the hilt of his sword. You see stars and are in too much pain to fight as you are taken back to the Pearl.

You're tied up with the rest of the crew, though "tied" is a very loose term for the gentle looping of rope across your stomach, and are still too dazed to prevent Elizabeth's outburst. Barbossa tosses her to the crew, but Will's distraction prevents disaster.

"Barbossa!" he shouts, standing heroically up on the railing. "She goes free!"

"What's in your head, boy?"

Will aims a pistol at Barbossa. "She goes free!"

Barbossa is less than concerned. "You've only got one shot, and we can't die."

"Will, don't do the thing," you say just loud enough to be heard. It's your fuzzy-headed contribution to attempting to control the situation.

"Will?" Barbossa looks from you to Will. "That is Will Turner?"

"Yes, my name is Will Turner. My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins. On my word, do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' Locker!"

Jack throws you an irritated look. You shrug. Will's well-intentioned stupidity really was unavoidable.

Barbossa changes to negotiation mode - a mode that is a big dumb lie, as you learned. "Name your terms, Mr. Turner."

"Elizabeth goes free!"

"Yes, we know that one. Anything else?"

"And Ella, she goes free as well! And the crew are not to be harmed."

"Agreed," Barbossa says with a loaded smirk.

In less than ten minutes, the so-called negotiations have been fulfilled in the most twisted way possible. The you and the crew are in shackles, Will is bound, and Jack and Elizabeth are set to walk the plank. You have only a few minutes to decide how you're going to spend the rest of this ordeal - sitting in the brig with the crew, or doing something productive.

Elizabeth goes into the water with a shriek and a splash. It doesn't sound pleasant, but it is more appealing than staying on a ship with a bunch of men without any protection.

"Can I say goodbye first?" you ask loudly. "Can I say goodbye to Jack?"

Barbossa raises his eyebrows at you while the pirates _ooh_ incensingly. "Got a fancy, do you, lass?" he taunts. "You may as well. You'll not be seeing him again."

You're uncuffed. You move to Jack, who is gazing at you with a mixed expression of confusion and something harder to read. "I just wanted to tell you..." you say quietly, emotionally, "I wanted to tell you - last one in is dinner!" With that, you use the plank as a diving board and cannonball into the water.

You swim to the surface and shake the water out of your eyes. Barbossa is staring in outrage at you from back on the ship. You give him a wet middle finger and paddle towards the ripples from Jack's dive.

Jack comes up sputtering. He thankfully has his effects in his bound hands. He looks at the island with a mixture of distaste and resignation.

"Sorry, Jack," you say as you head for shore. "You were last in. Hope you're delicious."

You don't see it, but Jack looks very much like he would have preferred to be on the Interceptor when it blew up.


	8. Marooned

It occurs to me that all these chapters are comparatively short. It's not on purpose, and they'll probably get longer once we move into DMC. COTPB is kind of the fuse that has to burn down before we see the real fireworks!

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

"That's the second time I've had to watch that man sail away on my ship," Jack sighs, gazing after the retreating Pearl.

"Look on the bright side!" You kick off your shoes and wiggle your toes in the sand. "This beach is gorgeous!"

Jack glares at you as he starts off through the sparse forest. "We've got bigger problems than whether or not it's a nice vacation spot."

Elizabeth follows him. "But you were marooned on this island before, weren't you? So we can escape in the same way you did last time!"

"To what point and purpose, young missy? The Black Pearl is gone. Unless you have a rudder and a lot of sails hidden in that bodice - unlikely - young Mr. Turner will be dead long before you can reach him."

The conversation moves away from your comfortable spot on the warm sand. You're not worried about the current predicament - you know it all works out - so you decide to catch up on the vacation you were so rudely plucked from.

Eventually they return, Elizabeth very disgruntled, and Jack drops a bottle of rum beside you. You cheers him and take a drink.

"It could be worse," you say to Elizabeth. "It could be raining. Or we could not have any rum."

"What have they done to you?" she laments.

"Nothing at all! Well, besides general irritation and manhandling - but we're going to get out of this, so you don't need to worry."

"How can you be so sure? I hope it's not your trust in _him_. He's useless."

"Nope. It's my trust in _you_."

Elizabeth blinks. "Me?"

"When the time comes, you'll know what to do. But right now, what I'm going to do is relax on this fantastic beach with a good drink and some wonderful company."

Elizabeth forms her plan all on her own without any need for you to push her in the right direction. You're not sure why you're proud of that; it's not like you're some god figure directing fate. Perhaps it's just that you're excited to see her ingenuity in action. As the sun goes down, she teaches Jack the pirate song and gets him progressively drunker. You sing along from the sidelines and worry only about keeping a full bottle.

Jack is finally too intoxicated to stand. He hits the ground and pulls Elizabeth down with him. He flirts shamelessly and Elizabeth takes it all like a champ. Then Jack turns philosophical and starts waxing poetic about the Pearl.

"To the Black Pearl," Elizabeth says, holding up her bottle.

"To freedom." Jack clinks his glass against hers and chugs it down.

"To the Black Pearl and freedom!" you agree cheerfully, taking another swig. "That was excellent, Elizabeth! He didn't see that coming at all."

"Don't tell me you're drunk, too."

"No, I'm not drunk, I'm just pleasantly buzzed. I suppose you want to sleep after so much dancing around?"

"Yes, sleep would be nice. I've had a very long day."

"I can only imagine! But you handled it so well. You're a lot braver than you seem, aren't you?"

"Yes, I suppose I am." She smiles slightly at the thought. "I suppose we'll be sleeping on sand tonight. Goodnight, Ella, and thank you for coming with them to rescue me. It was nice to see another friendly face."

"Oh, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Goodnight."

The warm sand negates the need for blankets that night. You awake to the sun heating your face, the ocean foaming pleasantly around your toes, and the smell of burning wood. Elizabeth's signal fire is in full blaze. You call over to her, "How'd you start it?"

"Patience," she responds in a way that suggests she is out of it.

Jack, who is lying a few feet away, wakes with a start. He jumps up in horror. "No! What are you doing? You burnt all the food, the shade, the rum!"

"Yes, the rum is gone."

"Why is the rum gone?"

"One, because it is a vile drink that turns even the most respectable men into complete scoundrels. Two - that signal is over a thousand feet high. The *entire* Royal Navy is out looking for me; do you really think that there is even the _slightest_ chance that they won't see it?"

"But why is the rum gone?!"

Elizabeth sits firmly to watch for the ships. "Just wait, Captain Sparrow. Give it one hour, maybe two, keep a weather eye open, and you will see white sails on that horizon!"

Jack is beyond furious. He pulls out his pistol and aims it at an unsuspecting Elizabeth. You cast him a stern look and he thinks better of the murder. Instead, he storms off down the beach.

"Brilliant," you congratulate Elizabeth. "I knew you had it in you."

"Yes..." Elizabeth looks up at you shrewdly. "You mentioned that yesterday afternoon. How did you know I would come up with something?"

"Well, I'm sure you'll hear it eventually, so I may as well tell you. I'm kind of a sea witch."

"A _witch?_ "

"Don't worry, there was no soul-selling involved. I'm sort of able to see the future. I use it to help people."

"Did - Did you help Will find me?"

"Of course."

"Oh. Well. I suppose you may not be all that bad, then. But who am I to judge?" She chuckles wryly. "We're all on our way to being pirates."

You grin. Why reveal the irony of that statement so early? You merely say, "The ships are on their way. We'll be out of this soon."

Your word is true, obviously. Norrington personally leads a shore party to pick the three of you up. Jack is taken into custody, and Elizabeth makes her case to rescue Will while you just enjoy being back with somewhat civilized people.

Governor Swann, predictably, is thoroughly against it. He says firmly, "We will return to Port Royal immediately, not go gallivanting after pirates!"

"Then we condemn him to death!"

"The boy's fate is regrettable, but then so is his decision to engage in piracy."

"To rescue me! To prevent anything from happening to me!"

You're not terribly interested in this conversation anymore. You wander below deck to look for something to fix the overlarge pants you salvaged from the Interceptor. They're a pain to keep up, and with the impending climax, you can't afford to be hitching up your pants every few steps. You rig a belt out of a spare length of rope that solves the problem well enough, but you wish elastic waistbands had already been invented.

When you return to the deck, you see Jack at the helm, giving directions. You go sit on the stairs to wait for him. Eventually he comes down and plops heavily beside you with a roll of his eyes. "Forgot how much I _despise_ not being in charge," he mutters only loud enough for you to hear him.

"You won't have to worry about it for long. We're going to get your ship, remember?"

"Ah, yes. The whole reason I allowed you to come along on this little adventure."

" _Allowed_." You snort. "I could still royally mess things up for you, Jack, so watch it."

"Yes, I'm shaking in my boots."

"The thing is, though, things will get a bit complicated before you really get the Pearl back."

"Aren't you not supposed to tell me what's going to happen in the future?"

"That's probably a good idea," you muse. "You'd find a way around it if you didn't like what happens. Yeah, you're right, you get absolutely no heads-up ever."

"Never? Don't you think that's a bit harsh?"

You smile. "You'll survive."

"I'd better. If I don't, the first person I'll haunt is you."

"I'm shaking in my boots," you echo smartly. Jack grins.


	9. By Moonlight

ALRIGHT ONE MORE CHAPTER BEFORE WE RING IN DMC AND THE REAL ADVENTURE BEGINS LET'S HEAR IT Y'ALL

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

Night falls, the Navy soldiers take to the boats to ambush the pirates, and you find yourself locked in the captain's cabin with one very irate Elizabeth. "I can't _believe_ him," she rages, pacing the floor furiously.

"Who, Jack?"

"Yes, Jack! He doesn't care about Will at all! He just wants the Pearl back!"

"He cares a little bit about Will, but yeah, he wants the Pearl back."

"Why are you so _calm?!_ "

"Because it's hard to tie sheets to escape with if my hands are shaking."

Elizabeth stops pacing and sees you plugging away at knotting the sheets. She comes and helps, and in only minutes you have a long enough cord to descend into a longboat.

"Let's go the Pearl first," she says, taking one set of oars. "The crew can help us rescue Will."

You know the crew will do exactly the opposite, but you go along with it. They don't deserve to be stuck in those cells. All of Elizabeth's previous irritation returns in full force when the crew cites the code for their inaction. She storms back to the longboat. You wave at Gibbs and follow.

"Bloody pirates," she growls, rowing with gusto.

"Keep your head in the game. We've got some major ass to kick."

"Ella!"

"Oh, right, ladies don't swear. Damn, I'll have to remember that."

The two of you row deep into the cave. The clangs of swords can already be heard from further inside. Your heart pounds faster as you follow Elizabeth, your own sword drawn. This is the epic climax you've been waiting for, the _adventure_ you've been waiting for, the one you've seen so many times.

Elizabeth enters with her witty one-liner and strikes a blow for Victorian women everywhere. She and Will continue to fight the remaining pirates. Though you're full of adrenaline, you know that your sword skills are probably not honed enough to keep up with such a fast-paced battle. You settle with lobbing giant gold pieces of treasure at the enemies to keep them distracted.

On a whim, you pick up a heavy jewel-encrusted golden egg and chuck it at Barbossa. It hits him square in the back of the head. You jump up and down and whoop like the throw was a game-winning touchdown. "That's for denying my negotiations, you dick!"

Jack gets a brief laugh in before Barbossa comes after him all the harder.

Will and Elizabeth take care of the pirates with a well-placed bomb. Jack throws his coin to Will, who is poised to drop it in the chest and end the curse forever. Barbossa is having none of that; he aims his pistol threateningly at Elizabeth. The fateful shot rings out, and it's Jack's gun that's left smoking.

"Ten years you carry that pistol, and now you waste your shot," Barbossa sneers.

"He didn't waste it," Will says, dropping his own coin and Jack's into the chest.

The blood stain spreads on Barbossa's white undershirt. He looks at the wound in shock. "I feel...cold," he murmurs before falling on the mountain of gold and lying motionless. The finality of the fall, even though it really isn't all that final, is such a solid conclusion to this chapter of the adventure that you nod solemnly.

You join Jack in rifling through the mounds of treasure while Elizabeth and Will deal with their emotions. "Nice throw," Jack says to you.

"Wasn't it? The stars aligned with that one. I could never make another shot like that. I guess the universe wanted me to get my revenge."

"And speaking of getting things..." He watches Elizabeth walk away from Will and shakes his head. "If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it. Now, if you'll be so kind, I'd be much obliged if you'd drop me off at my ship."

The mood turns somber once Jack realizes the Pearl is gone. He sits silently, staring out over the dark waters.

"I'm sorry, Jack," Elizabeth offers quietly.

"They've done what's right by them. Can't expect more than that."

"Don't look so gloomy." You nudge him. "Didn't I say you'd get the Pearl back after some complications?"

"I reckon it will be complicated to look for my ship while I'm dead; I highly doubt the good Commodore will let me walk free."

Will says unexpectedly, "It won't end like that. We'll figure out a way to get you out of it."

"To get me out of an execution? Lad, you're a blacksmith, not a politician."

"We don't necessarily have to be political about it."

You smile as Will and Jack discuss the finer points of an epic jailbreak. You muse that this is how it should be: the four of you in a boat on the ocean, the smell of salt and possibilities in the air. It won't be that easy for a while, of course, but perhaps one day...


	10. The Great Escape

OKAY NOW THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT THIS IS SOME DESTINY UNDONE SHIT YEAH SON LET'S RING IN DMC WITH A BOTTLE OF RUM!

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

The sun is high in the sky as you stand beside Elizabeth in a shaded area of the fort. A crowd is gathered like the event taking place is a public show instead of an execution. You smirk to yourself at the fact that they'll all be quite disappointed in the outcome of their entertainment.

The minister reads out a list of Jack's crimes: "...Piracy, smuggling, impersonating an officer of the Spanish Royal Navy, impersonating a cleric of the Church of England..."

The list is nothing short of impressive, and Jack is clearly pleased with himself upon recalling his past exploits. You forgot to ask him about some of those charges, but you'll have time later...

You notice a fantastic hat moving through the crowd and nudge Elizabeth just as Will pauses. He greets you all in turn, saving Elizabeth for last. "I should have told you every day from the moment I met you: I love you."

Elizabeth is speechless. You grin widely and wink at Will. He disappears into the gathering around the gallows.

Norrington catches on, but not before Elizabeth. She gasps, "I can't breathe!" and falls over. It's the last time the ploy will work, but it's the most important time. Norrington and Governor Swann fuss over her while Will moves into position. He throws his sword with expert aim just as the trapdoor beneath Jack's feet gives way.

Soldiers rush to intercept Jack, but he and Will are too much for them. You cheer them on unashamedly as they make their way to the balcony's edge. Unfortunately, by this time the bulk of the soldiers have assembled, and they are cornered.

Norrington points his sword at Will and says almost boredly, "I thought we might have to endure some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt, but not from you."

Governor Swann is similarly scandalized. "On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency. And this is how thank me? By throwing lot with him? He's a pirate!"

"And a good man!" Will throws down his sword. "If all I have achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it. At least my conscience will be clear."

"You forget your place, Turner," Norrington says, his blade moving subtly like it would like nothing more than to stab forward.

"It's right here, between you and Jack."

"As is mine!" Elizabeth exclaims, rushing to stand by Will.

The soldiers lower their swords at Governor Swann's horrified order. Norrington hardly notices the change as he stares at Elizabeth. You can almost hear the sound of his heart shattering, and despite the pain he's been, it is rather sad. "So this is where your heart truly lies, then?" he asks like he already knows the answer.

"It is." Elizabeth is apologetic.

The flapping of wings draws your and Jack's attention. Cotton's parrot lights on a wooden post. This spurs Jack into action. "Well, I'm actually feeling rather good about all this. I think we've all arrived at a very special place spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically?" He leans towards Norrington. "I want you to know that I was rooting for you, mate. Know that."

Jack struts towards the edge of the battlement before remembering he has two more goodbyes to say. "Elizabeth, it would never have worked between us, darling. I'm sorry. And Will - er, nice hat."

You're a bit insulted that he doesn't bother to say anything to you. No, he does not tell you goodbye - instead he grabs you around the waist and pulls you into him. "I'll just be taking this lovely lass along to ensure I'm not followed - hate for anything to happen to such a nice dress," he announces. "Come along, Ellie."

"Jack, what are you _doing?!_ "

"I'm taking you hostage!"

"I - what - you - " You heave a sigh and roll your eyes. "Sorry I won't be at your wedding, 'Lizabeth! Congrats to you and Will! See you soon!"

"Friends!" He spins to face the crowd, you in tow. "This is the day that you will always remember as the day that - "

"Jack, watch out for the - !"

Jack drags you backwards as he trips over the battlement. You scream on the way down and consequently get a mouthful of water.

"Hope you can swim," Jack says when he comes up.

You can, though not well in the dress - Jack takes care of that issues as he did for Elizabeth - and you and he paddle to the Pearl. A line hoists the two of you onto the deck, where you sit, stunned by the events that just took place.

"I thought you were supposed to keep to the code," Jack says almost accusingly to Gibbs.

"We figured they were more actual...guidelines." Gibbs grins and helps Jack up.

You are now able to speak again. "You kidnapped me!" you say indignantly, standing up and putting you hands on your hips.

"Yeah?" Jack is unconcerned.

"You weren't supposed to do that! I was going to stay in Port Royal and - you messed up my plans!"

"Pirate, love. You'd do well to remember that."

Jack collects his hat and coat and takes the wheel of the ship that is now undeniably his. His orders send the crew to their posts. The black sails billow in the sea breeze and the Pearl begins to glide out to open sea. You run to the side to see Port Royal and your friends disappearing into the distance.

You hear Jack singing quietly to himself as he consults his compass and you can't help the massive grin that takes over your face. You'd once wished for a pirate crew to recruit you on an adventure. Now you have much more than you bargained for, and you can't wait to see what lies over the horizon.


	11. Unnecessary Obstacles

Wooo, okay, sorry about the delay! I got hit hard by writer's block, but hopefully we'll be back on schedule from now on! Thanks for being so patient!

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

Commotion on deck wakes you from your peaceful slumber. You scowl and look out the window at the moon. It can't be past three in the morning, so _what_ is going on out there?! You wrap a blanket around your shoulders and pull on your boots and stomp outside. The crew is on high alert, but Jack is nowhere to be found. You ask Gibbs where Jack is and if this can be taken care of without your presence."

"Jack is...hiding," Gibbs tells you uncertainly.

"Hiding? Why? Where?"

Gibbs points. You find Jack pressed against the wall under the stairs, pretending to be invisible. You ask tiredly, "Jack, what the _hell_ are you doing?"

"Shh! No talking. Running."

"Running? Why - " It all comes back to you right then. It must have been sleep clouding your mind; the Persian jail and the picture of the key were only days ago. "Wow, is it time already? Man, the days fly by when you're doing absolutely nothing at sea."

The life of piracy has been a bit less glamorous than you imagined. Most of it has been nothing but sailing and crappy food. You haven't had to earn your keep on the grounds that witches don't work, so it's been hard to fill your days. Jack has helped by telling you stories and teaching you how to sail, and sometimes there was the occasional raid or port stop and of course the hurricane, but things are definitely about to pick up.

"What do you mean, already?" Jack recalls you. "You know what's going on?"

"Oh, yeah, the black spot."

"Shh!" he hisses again, looking around at the nearby crew. "You _knew_ this would happen? Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Honestly? It totally slipped my mind. But hey, why didn't _you_ know it was coming? Were you not keeping track of your ten years?"

"How about instead of scolding me you try being helpful!"

"Yeah, fine." You look up at the sails, pondering. "Let's head for Port Royal."

"Port Royal. You want to go to Port Royal."

"That's what I said."

"You are aware that I'm trying to _avoid_ death, right? I'm not going to Port Royal!"

"Excuse me? Are you forgetting who of the two of us knows the future?"

"Then tell me what I'm going to say if you ask me to go to Port Royal again!"

You're outraged. "Are you seriously not going to trust my judgment after everything?"

"If your judgment is telling me to run to the people who want to kill me, then no, I'm not."

"They aren't the only people who want to kill you," you mutter, stalking off.

You've put up with a lot from Jack in the recent months, but you never dreamed that he would go against your advice. You're supposed to know the future! Who wouldn't want a peek at what's to come, especially someone whose life is on the line?! You grumble to yourself at Jack's stubbornness but resign to a highly unpleasant adventure.

It's another few day to Pelegosto. The crew shores the ship and drives in the mooring lines. Jack readies to explore the forest. You wave at him from the crow's nest, a bottle of rum in hand.

He squints up. "What are you doing up there? Get down here, we're going ashore!"

"No, _you're_ going ashore," you reply smartly. "I'm not about to get into this little adventure. Go on, go find out why Port Royal would have been a better option!"

Jack mutters something you don't catch and climbs down to the beach. You shake your head after him. You don't feel bad for sitting this one out; you don't fancy having your skeleton turned into a cage and your flesh roasted like a marshmallow. Will will be along anyway to set things right. You don't have to lift a finger. In fact, you could entertain yourself by going through Jack's belongings. That should kill a few hours.

You're through his bookshelf and halfway into his desk when you hear shouting from outside the open door: "Jack! Jack Sparrow!"

You've not heard the voice in months, but of course you remember who it belongs to. You run outside and half-hang over the railing. "Will! Will, up here! Hi!"

Will looks up with an incredulous expression. " _Ella?_ "

"Yeah, hi! Hang on a sec - "

You climb down to the beach and greet Will with a hug that he returns after a shocked moment. "What are you _doing_ here?" he demands.

"Jack kidnapped me, remember?"

"I remember, but - why are you alone? Where is Jack and the crew?"

You wrinkle your nose and glance to the jungle. "In there because he's an idiot who doesn't know how to listen to reason. I know about Elizabeth - I was going to make things easier on you and pick you up at Port Royal, but Jack refused. He was worried about dying, apparently, like this island isn't inhabited by cannibals - "

"Cannibals?! Then we must fetch him before he gets eaten!"

"Do we, though?"

"I'm surprised at you. Why did you stay behind if you knew Jack would be in danger? I always thought you were a bit taken with him."

"Taken?" Your cheeks heat up at the insinuation. "No, William, I am not _taken_ with anyone! Jack's dumb and I'm not, that's why I stayed behind. Better him than me. But since you're here and you want to rescue him, I suppose he's saved."

"You're not coming with me?"

You glance at the thick jungle again and heave a sigh. "Jack got himself into this and I _really_ don't want to, but I like you too much to let you go alone, so let's get to it."

The two of you plunge into the thick foliage. Will notices Gibbs' canteen hanging by a vine and begins to follow the trail. You almost tell him not to, but how else are the two of you to find your way to the village? Better to get delivered there. You wander after Will, making sure to keep your distance. The islanders soon have him knocked out and on a stick. You make a mental note to apologize to Will for totally using him; that ride can't be comfortable.

You creep along behind the band and they lead you right to the village. You dart from cover to cover to avoid detection and subsequent death. Your quarry leads you right up to the throne and Jack. While the villagers wait for command regarding Will, you slip behind the throne to hide.

They carry Will off. Jack returns to his seat. You hiss from behind him, "I am totally going to say I told you so!"

Jack whips around. "Ellie?!"

"I should let you stay and get eaten for not listening to me!"

"How did you get here? I thought you stayed on the ship!"

Before you can answer, hands grab you roughly and drag you out of your hiding place. The villagers reach for their weapons and shout threateningly.

"Ahh! Jack! Do something!"

You are released at a quick word from Jack. The villagers turn docile and fetch you a chair that they place beside the throne. You're confused by the change but definitely do not argue.

"You'd better hope William is competent enough to escape," Jack mutters to you.

"Why? Will can help the crew. I'm here to save your stupid face."

"Not quite. You're in the same boat as me now."

"What?"

"I, er, may have told them that you're my queen."

"So they're gonna eat me, too?! Augh, Jack!"

"I made do, okay? Just sit there quietly while I think of something."

You cross your arms and fume while two women present you with a necklace of severed fingers. You consider strangling yourself with it. But you're not about to leave escape up to Jack, so as you watch the villagers gather wood for the fire, you put your own brain to work.

"No, big fire! Big fire! I am chief, want big fire!"

"Jack?" You look up when he grabs your arm.

"Run!"

Jack drags you down the dirt paths towards the outskirts of the village. You stumble over stones to keep up. You pant, "This is your great escape?"

"It may not be great, but it is an escape!" he returns.

"Whatever. I think I came up this way when - Jack, no!" You snatch him away from the opening of a hut. "No souvenirs!"

"I wasn't looking for _souvenirs_ \- "

"I don't care what you were looking for! We are doing this my way, and my way means running!"

Jack has the good sense not to argue. You lead him into the jungle down what you think is the right path. But the foliage is thick and the atmosphere is heavy and damp, and soon you're hot and confused and lost.

"Do you know where we're going?" Jack asks testily.

"Yes," you snap. "We're going this way."

You hear running water in the distance and smirk for Jack's benefit, though you're just happy you didn't somehow manage to loop back around to the village. You open your mouth to gloat and the next second are face to face with a horde of islanders. They pause in their attack down a ravine - it must be where Will and the crew had fallen! - and stare at the two of you in shock.

"We're going this way now!" you shriek, yanking Jack in the opposite direction. The horde follows with a din of shouts.

Your new logic is that if you run long enough in one direction, it's bound to eventually lead to beach. So run you do, faster than you ever have in your life, ignoring your burning lungs and aching legs. The armed, angry islanders behind you provide a pretty good motivation to neither stop nor slow. After what seems like years, the trees begin to thin and the soil turns from dirt to sand. You allow a quick whoop of glee before tackling the new obstacle of keeping the current pace while slipping over the dunes.

"There's the Pearl!" Jack pants.

"And Will! We're almost there!"

Unfortunately, so are the villagers. Much more used to the sandy terrain, they're gaining ground. You and Jack scream in unison and pick up the pace. The tide rolls in; the Pearl takes float and begins to slip out to sea. You fight the waves to follow it and only breathe again once your hands grasp the rope netting on the side of the ship.

Of course, Jack cannot make a getaway without gloating: "Alas, my children! This is the day you shall always remember as the day that you almost - " A massive wave interrupts him and drenches you both. "...Captain Jack Sparrow."

With his moment ruined, you almost feel completely vindicated.

You climb aboard, looking quite like a bedraggled cat and feeling just as ready to claw something to death. Will quickly takes pity on you and hands you a blanket before getting to his original business.

"Jack!"

"Eh?"

"Elizabeth is in danger."

Jack is less than interested. He moves off as he replies, "Have you considered keeping a more watchful eye on her? Maybe just lock her up somewhere?"

"She _is_ locked up, bound to hang for helping you!"

"There comes a time when one must take responsibility for one's mistakes."

You're in full support of Will's actions when he grabs a nearby sword and puts it to Jack's neck. "I need that compass of yours, Jack. I must trade it for her freedom."

You put in helpfully, "If you kill him now, you can just take it."

Jack makes a face at you and removes the sword from its place. "Mr. Gibbs, we have a need to travel up river."

"Ugh!" You throw off your blanket. "We could have _been_ there if you would have listened to me!"

"What, you were going to suggest it?"

"I _did_ suggest it!"

"No, you suggested we sail to Port Royal."

"Yeah, to pick up Will! So we wouldn't have to get almost eaten! And then to Tia Dalma's shack! What part of future-knowing sea witch do you not get?!"

"Huh." Jack shrugs off your irritation. "You could have just said so."

Will holds you back from beating Jack to a pulp. He says as he struggles to restrain you, "I still need that compass."

"William, I will trade to you the compass, if you will - "

You interrupt furiously, "Will, you find the key on the Flying Dutchman and Jack _says_ he'll give you the compass. Gibbs, sail this crate to the swamps! There, we all caught up? Because if I get back out from changing and we're _not_ en route to Tia Dalma's, I will conjure a tidal wave and drown every person here!"

Will looks a bit frightened at your outburst. Gibbs hurriedly spins the wheel and calls out directions. Jack just stares at you, both impressed and confused. You throw one last threatening glare and stomp off to change, thinking that if everyone is going to be so uncooperative, you might just knock them out and do this adventure the right way.


	12. Witchery

I FORGOT TO POST THIS LAST NIGHT but in my defense, it was like 4am when I finished. But like I said on Golden Years, I promise to try to be better about updates! I really wanna finish this! Thanks so much for your patience!

also why are all these chapters so damn short ffffffff

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

You converse with Will, the only other competent person on the ship, during the trip to the delta leading to the swamp. "I meant to be there for the wedding," you sigh. "Well, I mean, the *almost* wedding. I would have at least liked to help with the preparations."

"For what it's worth, it would have been lovely," Will responds.

You notice his tone and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You'll get another chance."

"That's what I'm hoping. That's what this entire ordeal is for. But if you had stayed, I'm sure I could have found Jack a lot more easily. Why was he on that island in the first place? Why is he afraid of the open ocean?"

You listen as Gibbs describes the horror set after Jack, and suddenly the humid swamp feels a bit colder. You know you'll be facing the kraken at some point - the dozens of flailing, smashing tentacles, the tooth-filled maw gaping below the water, and the infinite desert of the Locker waiting after that... But it occurs to you that maybe you can prevent that battle from happening. You're not really sure how; you'll have to get very clever if you commit to doing so. You'd certainly hate to see Jack suffer through the Locker if there was something you could do to avoid it...

"Ella?"

You jump when Will calls your name. "What? Sorry, did you say something?"

"You just seemed preoccupied."

"That's a word for it..." You look up at Jack's boat. He's standing, which is completely ridiculous and unnecessary, just like everything else about him. You consider asking Gibbs to maneuver up next to Jack so you can push him in the water. You grin at the thought.

Will follows your gaze and raises his eyebrows. "Anything in particular on your mind?"

"Just...future stuff."

"Any plans?"

"Nothing concrete, but something's brewing."

You're too busy contemplating to catch the pointed look Will exchanges with Gibbs. Gibbs chuckles quietly and brings the dingy up to the dock.

Jack approaches the door. "No worries, mates," he says confidently. "Tia Dalma and I go way back. Nigh inseparable we are. Were. Have been. Before..."

"I'll watch your back," Gibbs says knowingly.

"It's me front I'm worried about."

You completely opt out of the "mind the boat" chain by walking in right behind Jack. You choose to _stay_ behind Jack, because you're not quite sure how Tia Dalma will react to you, and you want a buffer. Jack notices your grip on his sleeve but refrains from commenting.

Tia Dalma looks up from her table and smiles. "Jack Sparrow," she purrs. "I always knew the wind was going to blow you back to me one day."

Jack looks very relieved that Tia Dalma hadn't zapped him dead on the spot. He moves toward her to start a "friendly" conversation, taking away your cover.

" _You_."

You glance at Will. If only he knew what his "touch of destiny" really meant. You're surprised to see him looking at you. Everyone is looking at you, in fact, including the real resident sea witch. She was talking to _you_.

"Wait, _me?_ " You blink at Tia Dalma, who is staring intently at you.

"You are not from this world."

You break out in a cold sweat. How could she tell that?! Your impossible backstory is certainly less obvious than Will's destiny, and much less believable!

Jack of all people is the one to unknowingly come to your aid. "She's a sea witch, too," he says dismissively. "You could probably teach her a few tricks."

"Please don't kill me," you say in a small voice.

She slowly turns her gaze to Will. "And you, you have a touch of destiny about you, William Turner."

Will is just as surprised. "You know me?"

"You want to know me?"

Jack quickly breaks that up. He herds Tia Dalma back to the table, where she and Will and you take a seat. With a glance at you, she asks Will, "What service may I do you? You know I demand payment," she adds sharply to Jack.

"I brought payment!" Jack is thrilled to get rid of the monkey; Gibbs is not thrilled when the monkey is released.

"The payment is fair."

As they discuss business, you can't help but look around the small shack. Items of every origin hang from the ceiling - herbs, shells, snakes, and of course that jar of eyes. Even more junk coats every flat surface, a mixture of one-of-a-kind treasures and ingredients for various witchery. All of this is only what's in the front room. You have no doubt that the mess only gets weirder in the back.

It occurs to you that you're not only sitting in the presence of a powerful witch, but an actual deity. You'd forgotten until now that Tia Dalma is also Calypso, goddess of the sea, the same goddess that almost completely wrecks everything upon release - another event you're really not looking forward to. She could probably kill you in a heartbeat if she caught the fancy. You wish Jack would come over next to you so you could hide behind him again. But Jack is currently in the process of getting his unfortunate secret revealed.

"Come with me," Tia Dalma orders. You trip over yourself to follow once you realize she's talking to you. She leads you to the back room; as you predicted, it's overflowing with clutter.

"I'm sorry," you say meekly, not meeting her eyes. All bets are off if she can tell what you really are, and you're not above begging for your life. "Please don't kill me."

"You are something strange, something I have not seen before." Her piercing dark eyes stare through your skin. "What is your magic, little witch?"

"Uh, d-divination. I know the future."

"How much of the future?"

"Enough, I guess. A year, maybe? I'm not sure of the timeline."

Tia Dalma stares again, this time into your soul. You brace for the outcome of whatever she decides. She draws back and says, "Be of use to me."

"What? How?"

"I dabble in divination, but I cannot see all ends. Be of use to me, and I will grant you great power in return."

Shit, what could go wrong? That's obvious - literally everything could go wrong - you have no idea what Tia Dalma might ask of you, but you're pretty interested in that part about the great power. "So you just want me to...do what, exactly?"

"Be my eyes. Perhaps my hands. But do not take this lightly; if you betray me - "

"Wouldn't dream of it!" you say quickly. "Yes, okay, I'll do what I can for you. Our goals will probably end up being similar, anyway."

"Good child."

Tia Dalma's arm shoots out and grabs your forearm. For one terrifying second, you think it was all a trick and she's just going to kill you. Pain like a hot bolt sears your skin just above your elbow. You don't even have time to cry out before the pain vanishes and Tia Dalma releases you. You rip your sleeve up to see the damage. A brown crab is burned onto your arm. It tingles when you run your fingers over it.

"My mark," she says offhandedly, now rummaging through her shelves. "Use it as you will, and use it wisely."

"But I don't - I never knew about - how do I - "

Tia Dalma ignores you; she finds the jar and returns to the front room. You have no choice but to stumble after her, still clutching your arm.

You're silent on the way back to the ship. You're too distracted to even make fun of Jack for how closely he's holding that simple jar of dirt. Your hand does not leave the crab mark on your arm, though the sleeve covers it.

Will notices. He asks kindly, "Is your arm alright?"

"Y-Yeah, it's fine."

"What did she want? When Tia Dalma took you back there, what did she say to you?"

"I, uh..." You're not sure if you're supposed to tell anyone that a goddess in disguise gave you a magical tattoo in exchange for some mercenary work. "She just wanted help looking for that jar of dirt."

Will does not look convinced, but luckily for you, the longboats have arrived back on the Pearl. You clamber onto the deck, still clutching your arm. You feel like you're carrying a giant dirty secret, like a bomb or something, though you don't really know what the tattoo is for or what it does. For all you know, it could be something fantastic like invulnerability or the ability to shoot fireballs.

"Ellie." Jack calls you out of your reverie. "What did she want with you?"

"Uh, witch stuff," you half-lie. "You wouldn't understand."

"No, probably not. I never understand anything that woman does. Like this, for instance." He gives the jar a little shake. "Not sure what I'm supposed to do with this, but if it helps..."

"Maybe you make a circle around yourself that Jones can't cross," you muse. "Or maybe you dump it out and stand on it. Though I suppose if he was really intent on killing you, a bullet would do the trick. Bullets aren't bound by any curses."

Jack makes a face. "You are very unhelpful."

"Not as unhelpful as you." You hurry to keep up with him as he heads to the helm, shouting directions on the way. "Will may not know that you're screwing him over but I do, and I don't appreciate it."

"I am simply upholding my end of the bargain. Will can have the compass - a very unique artifact, might I add - if he helps me find the key."

"But it's not that simple and you know it!"

"William's got a good head on his shoulders. He'll figure something out."

You scowl at him. "Remind me to never make a deal with you so you don't sell me to the devil."

"I wouldn't," he says promptly.

"Really?"

"Love, if there is one thing I know, it's that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, or in that particular case, betrayed. Why would I want a sea witch angry with me? Normal slaps hurt enough. You might - what was it you threatened? - drown me with a tidal wave."

"Oh." You're glad that you're safe from a sellout, but the response is somehow lacking for your tastes. "Is that the only reason you wouldn't trade me? Because you're scared of me?"

"You sound disappointed. Were you expecting another answer?"

"No!" you exclaim, glaring. Jack had _that_ tone, and he was grinning. "You're damn right to be scared of me! I don't expect any other reason!"

"Whatever you say, Ellie," Jack chuckles.

"Exactly. Whatever I say. You better learn that line or else."

You stomp away, already feeling like an idiot. You now hope that the crab mark has the power to make you invisible.


	13. Davy Jones

I like this chapter because it's a testament that I'm actually capable of writing slow-burn. Yay ego! So let's find out what that crab mark can do, shall we?

Pirates (c) Disney

* * *

You examine the little brown crab on your forearm by the dying light of the evening. You silently will it to tell you its use; surely Tia Dalma wouldn't have just branded you for a laugh. There has to be a reason behind it, and you hope that reason has to do with the part about "great power".

You pull down your sleeve when you hear boots approaching. Jack comes and leans against the railing beside you. "We should arrive at our destination the night after next," he says.

"Ugh, why is everything so damn slow?"

"Excuse me!" Jack is affronted. "This happens to be the fastest ship in the Caribbean!"

"And yet it can't get us there, like, tomorrow night."

"So _impatient_. If you're so eager to get there, perhaps you could put some wind in our sails. Tia Dalma must have taught you _something_ when you were doing...witchy things."

You're about to retort, but the mention of Tia Dalma makes your hand go unconsciously to your arm. It was a long shot, but since the goddess of the sea had give you her mark, then maybe...

You jump up and plant your feet firmly on the ground. With your gaze locked concentratedly on the direction in which the ship is sailing, you sweep your arms forward as though directing the four winds. Instantly the sails billow and the ship shoots forward, almost knocking the unwary crew to the ground. Even Jack sways more than usual, and he stares at you in utter shock as you jump up and down and squeal.

"I can't believe it!" you sing. "I'm a real witch! I can do magic! I'm one-fouth of an Avatar!"

"I thought you _couldn't_ control the sea!" Jack exclaims.

"I can now! I'm going to kick so much ass! I bet I could make a whirlpool - "

"Let's not," Jack says hastily. "Just put your magic to good use and move us along."

You resume your epic position. The wind whips through your hair as it pushes the Pearl through the waves like the ship weighs nothing. Eventually, however, you get tired of holding the pose. You shout up at the sky to keep blowing and experimentally lower your arms. The Pearl sails along as it has been. Satisfied, you sit back down and watch the sun sink below the sparkling water.

Your dreams that night are filled with you controlling the elements, likely brought on by your Avatar comment of earlier. You wake in the morning with a smile on your face that slowly fades as you remember one of your favorite shows. There's no television here, let alone electricity; Thomas Edison won't be born for another century. America hasn't even been invented yet. Penicillin is also a long way off, so that precludes any decent healthcare if you get sick. The full reality of being stuck in the era of your favorite movie series begins to sink in, and it's not a pleasant reality. If only you could have liked something set in the future, like Star Trek!

But you realize as you sulk over all the lost technology that there's nothing for it. Some bizarre, unknowable force had dunked you here, and to your knowledge there's no way of getting back. But there is a way of getting breakfast, so you pull on some pants and your boots and walk out to greet the day.

Your breakfast of jerky and hard biscuits is particularly unfulfilling. You make a mental note about trying rig up some sort of ice box to store halfway decent food. You're so focused on the semantics of such an undertaking that when you go to take a bite of your last piece of jerky, you bite your finger instead. You squeal and blink at your hand. Your jerky is gone. It's now in the mouth of a completely different type of jerk.

"You seem down, love," Jack comments. "Start the day on the wrong foot?"

"I...kinda." You look back out at the water. "I guess I miss the place I came from."

"Where did you come from?"

"One of the colonies in Amer - in the New World. I had a great life. A job, friends, car - uh, cart and horse - "

"And no husband? Most women are married by your age."

"Nah, I was single. I was too focused on work. But now I'm sailing with pirates and about to be neck-deep in an adventure."

"I could take you back," Jack says unexpectedly.

"What?" You blink up at him.

"I could take you back to your colony if you're not happy. It might take a while, but we could get you there."

You stare at Jack. You never expected such a kind offer from him. You open your mouth to thank him, and instead blurt out, "Why did you bring me with you when you escaped?"

"You were my hostage, remember?"

"You didn't need a hostage."

"True. But you didn't belong there with all those powdered wigs and fancy dresses. Not with the way you swear."

You laugh. "Fair enough."

The light mood of the morning turns edgy as the sun sets. Your wind boost had given the Pearl a head start, and now you're creeping through dark water and pouring rain towards a shipwreck that for all Will knows is the Flying Dutchman.

"What's your plan?" Jack asks, coming up behind Will with you close behind.

"I row over, search the ship until I find your bloody key."

"And if there are crewmen?"

"I cut down anyone in my path."

"I like it. Simple, easy to remember."

You don't feel entirely right about letting Will go without saying something, anything. You scurry after him as he heads to the longboat. "Will!"

"Ella?" He looks over his shoulder. "You coming with me?"

"Noooo, no," you say quickly. You're not about to involve yourself in *that* bit of the adventure. "I just - I wanted to say - keep your wits about you, Will, and be careful."

He smiles kindly at you. "Don't worry. I'll be right back."

Jack calls over, "Oi! If you do happen to get captured, just say Jack Sparrow sent you to settle his debt. Might save your life!"

You bite your lip as Will boats the longboat and descends into the choppy water. You wish you could have warned him about the double-cross, though very ironically, the suggested phrase does save his life. You considered it, but then Will would never reconnect with his father, and you don't want to deprive him of that. So you return to Jack's side and wait tensely as the lanterns on the Pearl are extinguished one by one, leaving you in complete darkness.

"You know that's not the Flying Dutchman," you murmur.

"It doesn't matter. He said he'll cut down anyone in his path."

"Y'know, it's stunts like this that really make it hard to trust you, asset or not."

"Let's just see how it plays out."

You _know_ how it plays out, but you have no choice but to wait for reality to catch up with the future. You drum your fingers impatiently on the wooden rail, straining to hear the sounds of swords clashing over the tumultuous waves. Finally you see a streak of light - Will's flaming sword. It won't be long now before Davy Jones makes his entrance. You grip the pommel of your sword just thinking about it.

Jack becomes impatient and takes out his spyglass. You back up a few paces, considering going to hide in a cabin, but it's too late - the cursed captain himself materializes on the ship, and his crew literally comes out of the woodwork. You take cover behind Jack instead.

"You have a debt to pay," Jones drawls. You shiver at the sound of his voice. "You've been captain of the Black Pearl for thirteen years. That was our agreement!"

Jack offers, "Technically I was only captain for two years, then I was viciously mutinied upon."

"Then you were a poor captain, but a captain nonetheless. Have you not introduced yourself all these years as _Captain_ Jack Sparrow?"

"You have payment. One soul to serve is already over there."

"One soul is not equal to another!"

"Aha! So we've established my proposal to send in principle, now we're just haggling over a price."

"Price?" Jones is intrigued, and you'd be lying if you said you wouldn't feel the same.

"Just how many souls do you think my soul is worth?"

Davy Jones is considering the offer. You can see the wheels turning in his head. Unfortunately, since you can see him, he can see you. His eyes snap from Jack to the little sliver of your face that is peeked over Jack's shoulder. Your gazes meet. You retreat back behind Jack as if hiding will make Jones forget your presence.

"Who's that there behind you?" Jones asks slowly.

"Nobody," Jack answers promptly.

One of the Dutchman crew yanks you out of your hiding place. You squeal and try to attack him, because even though these many months at sea have done much for your courage, they probably haven't done much for your intelligence. You stop squirming at the cold feeling of a blade at your neck.

"Well, well, Sparrow," Jones chuckles. "I never thought you one to keep what you catch."

Jack doesn't even look at you. "She's part of the crew," he says dismissively. "Why so interested?"

Jones stumps over to you. You consider standing defiantly against him, but as he grows closer and as you remember what he's capable of, you shrink back into your captor. "I'd really like to not die today," you say in a small voice.

"You can take her if you want," Jack offers.

"Jack, what the hell!" you shriek, looking at him.

"I mean, she's terrible at tending a ship and she's only decent in the cabin, but if you're set..."

You struggle against your captor's grasp. "I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"Quite the mouth," Jones comments, and he almost sounds surprised.

"You've no idea," Jack mutters. "Maybe you can teach her her place."

"This is exactly why people want to kill you!" you shout.

"Tell me, lass," Jones says, drawing close to your face. You gulp at his proximity but cannot move away. "Would you trade your soul for Sparrow's?"

Your heart thuds in your chest. You never expected to be confronted with this situation. Why would Jones make you this offer? Was it a test? What was the right answer? The right answer for you would be yes; knowing the future, you'd be able to bear the black spot much more effectively. You glance at Jack, considering. What you see is surprising: a fire blazes deep in Jack's chocolate eyes, and his expression hardens. He shakes his head almost imperceptibly. Suddenly you understand.

You look back at Jones. "There is no way in _hell_ I'd trade my soul for Jack's," you say flatly. "In fact, in any other situation, I'd help you haul him back to the Dutchman. But that's not my decision, obviously, because it sounds like you two are in the middle of a negotiation."

"Indeed..." Jones turns back to Jack. After a pause of contemplation, he says, "One hundred souls, three days."

You listen as Jack bargains to get Will back, citing Will's engagement and appealing to Jones' own relationship issues. It doesn't work, of course, but you begin to wonder if Jones would have taken you if you had agreed to trade places with Jack. He'd taken Will, choosing the "only half as cruel" path, so would he have allowed you to stay with Jack in an effort to vicariously torture him?

The bargain is struck and Jones is placated. He and his ruined crew return to their own ship, leaving a fearful silence as everyone tries to figure out what just happened.

"And how exactly do you expect to harvest these ninety-nine souls?" Gibbs asks Jack.

Jack is absorbed in thought as he replies, "Fortunately, he was mum as to the condition in which these souls need be."

"Ah. Tortuga?"

"Tortuga."

Gibbs calls orders to the crew. Jack ascends to the helm. You follow him quickly. Before you can speak, Jack says, "You're not the brightest, lass. Didn't I tell you I wouldn't sell you out?"

"Yeah, but in my defense, I was confronted by the tentacle-faced embodiment of death."

Jack shakes his head. "I'm going to have to take you under my wing, it seems."

"Under your wing?" You blink. "What do you mean?"

"You've got a fire in you, but you're not all that brave."

"I am so!" you say indignantly.

"Then why do you always hide behind me?"

"Because I'm small and can hardly lift my body weight and you've really been slacking on the sword lessons and since you dragged me out here I expect you to protect me!"

"Hmm." Jack regards you. "Makes sense. But I may not always be around to protect you, so you might want to either get good with a sword or get good with words. You don't necessarily need to be brave if you can do one of those. Lucky for you, I can teach you to do both."

The prospect of becoming Jack's protegee is terribly intriguing, but there's something more to his words - at least, you _think_ there is. You ask slowly, "Why _wouldn't_ you give me to Jones? Just because you're scared of me?"

Jack's expression turns distant. "Do you really think I'd hand a powerful witch to Davy Jones?"

"But...you said he could take me..." You're not quite sure what you want to accomplish with this conversation. No, no, that's not true. You know _exactly_ what you want Jack to say, but you can't admit to yourself that you want to hear him say it.

Jack throws you a withering look. "And don't you think things might have turned out differently if I dramatically begged him not to take you? Ellie, I have a lot to teach you, and apparently you have even more to learn, so let's start with this: don't get all... _attached_ to people. It's very unwise. Just look at Will. He came all the way out here for his dearly beloved, and now he's bound to sail upon a doomed vessel until he figures out a way to escape."

You don't respond. You're not sure if you're pleased by his answer or not. Jack certainly had that way about him - to make insults sound like compliments and vice versa. You decide not to concern yourself with it at the moment. It has been a very frightening night so far, and you're keen on getting some rest before dealing with the next leg of this wild adventure.


	14. School in Session

Wow, yes, hello, I exist still. Due to a combination of vacation and vicious writer's block, this chapter has been delayed far past anything acceptable. Again, I will try my best to be more timely, but shit, it's me.

Imma try to start heating things up; hopefully I can get it simmering enough to make THE BIG THING more believable.

POTC (c) Disney

* * *

"I think I'm having second thoughts," you mutter as Jack yanks at your hair for the hundredth time.

"Too late for that. I'm not any more thrilled to be braiding your hair, but we all make sacrifices for the greater good. There, what do you think?"

You feel the side of your head and grin. Your hair has been braided back into ten tiny, neat rows that stop a bit before the top of your head. "Okay, I like it. But this begs the question of where the _hell_ did you learn to braid?"

"A braid is just another type of knot that is crucial to a sailor, only it so happens it can be applied to hair. Now, for a bandana..."

The Pearl had docked in Tortuga the previous evening. You'd expected to get right down to the business of collecting those ninety-nine unlucky suckers, but Jack had insisted upon a change of outfit for you first. You were shocked initially, but then you realized that a man with such an intricate system of trinkets and decorations would definitely be aware of appearances. You bore it all with good graces, due in no small part to the fact that you are absolutely loving all the attention.

Jack ties a strip of cloth around your head and lets you go. You run to look in a mirror. You let out a laugh at the drastic change in your appearance - you look like a real pirate, as was the overall goal.

"So," you say, playing with your dangling braids, "does this mean I'll have to live off of rum and terrible food for the rest of my life?"

"Only if you want to," Jack chuckles. "Though I highly recommend the rum part."

"I think I'll pass. One of us has to be sober."

"And speaking of the terrible condition of sobriety, let's get going. We have a hundred souls and just as many bottles to collect."

Tortuga in the afternoon is a world apart from Tortuga at night. People are walking, not staggering or running, in the streets, which are mostly clear of drunk or dead bodies. Various stalls and stores offer the necessities of living. It's civilized enough to pass as a town like Port Royal, at least until the sun goes down.

"Hardly recognize the place," you comment.

"Yes, it's quite tame during the day. Disappointing, but that gives us time to restock. Don't want to run out of terrible food and rum while in the middle of the ocean."

You follow Jack around as he runs his errands, silently observing him in action. You quickly come to realize that very few people, if any, have a way with words like he does. Jack hardly pays for anything; he gets most of the supplies through prearrangements and doesn't pay a dime (or, a shilling). What he doesn't have lined up he haggles down to nothing or straight up steals. It's nothing short of impressive.

"Learn anything?" Jack asks as he takes an unopened bottle right out of a hand of a sailor who started happy hour early.

"Yeah - that you could talk blood from a stone."

"I _am_ rather good with words," Jack agrees, pleased. "Brains over brawn, isn't that how the saying goes? You can't shoot your way out of every situation."

"Sure, but how do you do it? How do you always know exactly what to say?"

"I'm just that good. Now, before we get to work harvesting souls, let's make one more stop."

It's fine by you. You follow Jack inside a dimly-lit shop. Knick-knacks of every size and shape are set haphazardly out on tables and shelves. Closer inspection reveals them to be items of various use and value.

"Is this...a pawn shop?" you ask, surprised. You didn't know they'd been invented already.

"Sure is. Take a look around, find something you fancy."

You raise a skeptical eyebrow at Jack. "I highly doubt you're just going to buy me whatever I want."

"'Course not. You're going to take what you want."

"What, steal it?"

"You're a pirate now, aren't you? Stealing is first and foremost on a pirate's agenda. Me and Gibbs have a saying: take what you can, and give nothing back."

Well, when he put it that way, how can you argue? Besides, the worst thing that could happen would be getting caught. You browse through the collection and are drawn to the trays of jewelry. It's the most practical prize; most of the pieces are clocks and dishes and other things meant for the home.

"How about this?" Jack picks up a ring and holds it in a dusty ray of sunlight. "I've got a few myself. Good accessory for a budding pirate lass."

The setting of the ring is gold, and the large, clear gem just so happens to be your favorite color. You take it from him and slide it on your middle finger. You're delighted to find that it fits snugly. You admire the way the facets throw tiny rainbows on the ceiling. "Perfect," you decide.

Jack peers over to the counter. The store owner is not there, and the two of you are the only ones the the store. He tips the entire jewelry tray into his pocket.

"Jack!" you exclaim, scandalized.

"What? I'll share! Ah, but first, let's go someplace that isn't here."

You run ahead of Jack out the door, expecting every second to hear someone shout for you to stop or to hear the cocking of a gun. The adrenaline of thievery makes your stomach squirm and your heart race. It's a thrill you've never felt before but quite enjoy; before, the worst thing you'd been up to was a little public intoxication.

"I'm a criminal," you giggle.

"Oh, of course. You stole a ring from a pawn shop. You're a monster and you must be stopped."

"Don't be mean! This is a big deal for me. Not all of us walk out of the womb and kill the midwife."

"Then you're not aiming high enough, love."

You roll your eyes. "Don't we have unfortunate souls to doom?"

"Aye, we do. Let's move along. I know of a good tavern nearby."

It's evening by the time you and Jack collect Gibbs and settle in at the tavern. By now you're used to the drunken din, so you just grab a bottle and watch poor Gibbs run the sign up. Several men of varying degrees of shabbiness come and mark the list. It's nothing close to ninety-nine, though. You wonder how you'd missed that before. Too bad Jack wouldn't have a chance to talk his way into an extension.

You glance to the corner where Jack is sitting, feet on the table, a vaguely aggravated look on his face. He's toying with his compass. You'd forgotten he has it. You walk up to him and say, "I wanna try it."

He snaps it closed. "Try what?"

"Your compass! I've never gotten to see where it points for me."

"Ah, then you must know that this compass - "

"Does not point north, yeah, I know. Give it."

Jack frowns - he likes telling his little stories - and hands you the compass. You open it eagerly and watch the face spin a bit opposite the starry dome. The little arrow finally settles resolutely in one direction - right at you. You raise an eyebrow. You're quite fond of yourself, but you're not what you want most. Unless...

You turn. Jack is sitting right behind you, taking a long pull from his bottle. You scoot to the left. The compass compensates by swiveling to the right. You run to the right and it corrects to the left.

"This is bullshit," you complain, thrusting it back into Jack's hands. "There's no way that's what I want most."

"Not the first time someone's been in denial over where the compass points," Jack replies easily.

"How do you know it even points to what you want most? What if it does point north and everything anybody wants just happens to be in that direction? How many times have you actually used this thing, anyway?"

"Where did yours point?"

You nod towards a window that is conveniently right beside Jack. "Out there."

"Well," Jack says, peering out the window, "I can tell you that that's definitely _not_ north, seeing as the moon's rising from that direction."

Cheeks burning, you open your mouth to retort, but a loud bang across the way causes a diversion. You look over in time to see Gibbs falling over backwards as Norrington flips the table and begins his rant. Jack also notices the potential problem and masterminds his great escape. It fails, of course, leading to a bar fight of epic proportions. You duck just in time for a sword to swing through the air where your head was moments prior.

You run like a football player through the brawl, preemptively wincing the entire way, always expecting to feel a sharp jab or worse. As is your custom, you take cover behind Jack. You peek out and see Elizabeth fighting with Norrington. They _are_ outnumbered, but you know they can handle it, and even if you didn't, you weren't about to get in the middle of that mess.

All the stray bullets, flying fists, and rogue bottles seem to just miss Jack, which is why you use him as a human shield until you make it to the safety of outside. He shakes his head at you and says, "You really need to stop doing that, lass."

"Um, no? If there's one thing I've learned, it's that pirates always let others take the heat whenever possible, and _that_ was some heat."

"Well, so much for a relaxing night of drinking and destroying souls." Jack checked the sky; the moon was high. "May as well get back to the ship."

The stars twinkle in the unpolluted sky as the three of you head back to the Pearl. You gaze admiringly up at them; it's one of your favorite parts about living in a time before ozone issues and climate change. Their sparkle reminds you of something very important: "Hey, Jack, pretty sure you owe me half of whatever you have in your pocket."

"Aye, I suppose I do." Jack digs in his left coat pocket and comes out empty. "Huh. Nothing in there. Weird."

"Nice try, jerk. I know you put it all in your right pocket."

He rolls his eyes. "Fine. But I said nothing about _half_. You can pick out a few nice pieces."

"A few pieces! I'm the reason you even scored all of it!"

"I'm the captain. Of course I get more than you."

"I'm a _witch_ , I'll throw it all to sea and make sure it sinks!"

Jack is in the middle of a retort when a voice from behind calls out, "Captain Sparrow!"

He changes tracks in an instant. "Come to join me crew, lad? Welcome aboard."

"I'm here to find the man I love."

Jack looks horrified while you whirl around with a giant smile. "Elizabeth!" you exclaim. You run right into her arms.

"Ella?" Elizabeth is shocked. "I - I can't believe - it's been so long! Are you alright?"

"Well, I've been living with _this_ loser for a few months, but yeah, I'm fine! It's so great to see you! I told Will I wanted to be there for what there was of the wedding, but like I said, this loser..."

"So Will is here?" Elizabeth cranes to see onto the ship.

"Actually - "

Jack cuts in. "Darling, I am truly sorry to have to tell you this, but through an unfortunate and entirely unforeseeable series of circumstances that have nothing whatsoever to do with me, poor Will has been press-ganged into Davy Jones' crew."

"Davy Jones?" Elizabeth repeats.

"Yeah, real subtle," you mutter. "Elizabeth, long story short, if you use the compass to find the chest of Davy Jones, Jack says it will save Will, which is obviously what you want most."

"I _was_ going to say that." Jack wrinkles his nose at you. "The chest contains the still-beating heart of Davy Jones. And whoever possesses that chest has the leverage to command Jones to do whatever he or she wants, including saving brave Will from a grim fate."

Predictably, Elizabeth is suckered in by Jack's half-truths. "And we find it with...your compass?"

"Precisely. My compass is unique. This compass does not point north."

"Where does it point?"

"It points to the thing you want most in this world."

You squint as you notice Jack glance at Elizabeth's lips. You feel almost as though you're intruding on the scene, like what's playing out should be intimate, and you don't like it one bit. You stalk onto the ship, leaving them to it, and on your way grab one of the rum bottles Gibbs is trying desperately to hide.


End file.
